Crime Correspondent: Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Jeffrey Conway,who had a trial with Celtic Football Club, agreed to mind drugs for a person he met at a party in return for some cocaine for his own

Jeffrey Conway,who had a trial with Celtic Football Club, agreed to mind drugs for a person he met at a party in return for some cocaine for his own use. Conway, of Belclare Avenue, Poppintree, Ballymun pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the cocaine in his bedroom at his family home on June 1, 2007.Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Conway in custody earlier this month to allow her consider reports handed into court before she finalised his sentence. She told Conway today that she had read the reports carefully and she was now going to adjourn the case again to allow for an updated probation report and urine analysis. She readmitted Conway to bail to allow him to engage with the probation service and adjourned sentencing to next July.Garda Angela McFadden told Mr Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that when gardaí acting on confidential information attended at the Conway family home, they were met by the accused who brought them to his bedroom and pointed at a wardrobe containing a large shopping bag holding a block of cocaine.Garda McFadden said the cocaine weighed 485.9 grammes and was valued at more than €34,000.Conway, who has no previous convictions, told gardaí he had a met a person at a party who had asked him to mind the drugs and in return he would receive some cocaine for personal use. He said he had been using cocaine heavily for a year and was spending up to €200 a week on the drug. He said he owed about €1,600 to financial institutions, was unemployed and "could not go on without cocaine".Garda McFadden agreed with defence counsel, Mr Luán Ó Braonáin SC (with Mr Paul Greene BL), that Conway had cooperated with gardaí in relation to his own role and was not distributing the drugs himself.Dr David Gibney told Mr Ó Braonáin that Conway had come to him in 2007 seeking assistance in securing a place on a residential detoxification programme. He said Conway had successfully completed the programme and now spoke to transition year students about the dangers of drug addiction. Dr Gibney said in his experience with drug addicts Conway was "exceptional and had done very well".Mr Ó Braonáin submitted that Conway was a vulnerable individual who dealt with his insecurities via alcohol and cocaine use. He said he was open to exploitation by others as his "default setting" was to say "yes" to people in order to keep them happy and make them like him.He said Conway had "excelled at football" and had a trial with Celtic Football Club as well as playing League of Ireland football. He said Conway had now put together a business plan to set up as a contract plumber.Mr Ó Braonáin said Conway had successfully attended at The Rutland Centre to deal with his drug addiction and was now benefiting other young people in the community by passing on his knowledge of the dangers of drugs.He asked the court to take into account that Conway was "an exceptional and specific offender" who had entered the earliest possible plea of guilty. He said Conway’s family were in court "in bountiful numbers" to support him.

Jeffrey Conway,who had a trial with Celtic Football Club, agreed to mind drugs for a person he met at a party in return for some cocaine for his own

Jeffrey Conway,who had a trial with Celtic Football Club, agreed to mind drugs for a person he met at a party in return for some cocaine fo...

Dillon O'Brien, from Clonsilla in Dublin, appeared in court alongside Thomas and Sean Hinchon, of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin,

Dillon O'Brien, from Clonsilla in Dublin, appeared in court alongside Thomas and Sean Hinchon, of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin, who are charged with similar offences.Wearing a beige v-neck jumper, a white shirt and dark trousers, prison officer Dillon O'Brien was told in court that these were extremely serious charges. He is accused of 14 offences between January 2005 and March 2007, including charges of bringing vodka, mobile phones and a controlled drug, diamorphine, to prisoners at Mountjoy.One charge alleges that the prison officer conspired with Wayne Bradley and another person to supply cocaine to David Mulvey on March 12th last year. The court heard this conspiracy charge alone carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. The book of evidence has been served, Judge Denis McLoughlin granted legal aid for two counsel and the case has been sent forward to the next sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for trial.Two other men, Sean and Thomas Hinchon, have also been sent forward for trial on charges including allegations of conspiring with the prison officer.

Dillon O'Brien, from Clonsilla in Dublin, appeared in court alongside Thomas and Sean Hinchon, of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin,

Dillon O'Brien, from Clonsilla in Dublin, appeared in court alongside Thomas and Sean Hinchon, of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin, who ...