By Brion Hoban
A man who was caught transporting €1.2 million of cocaine while driving with his two-year-old daughter in the front seat has been jailed for four years.
Alan Flynn (29) of Forrest Fields Road, River Valley, Swords, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine with a value greater than €13,000 for sale or supply at O'Casey Road, Parkwest, Ballyfermot, on September 29th, 2019.
Detective Garda John Paul Flanagan told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that gardaí received confidential information that a silver VW Golf would be used to transport a quantity of drugs in the Parkwest area.
Det Gda Flanagan said that on the date in question, an unmarked patrol car spotted the silver Golf on O'Casey Road and signaled for it to stop. Flynn was driving the car while his then two-year-old daughter was in the front passenger seat.
In the back of the car, gardaí discovered a total of 18 packages of cocaine spread across the car's footwell and in an open cardboard box. The total value of the cocaine was €1,263,920.
In interview with gardaí, Flynn said he had a debt for cannabis and while looking for work he met a man in a pub who gave him a mobile phone. He later received a call on that phone telling him where to pick up the cocaine and to transport it to a gym in Parkwest.
Aggravating factor
During a search of his home, gardaí discovered a stun gun and pepper-spray, which Flynn told gardaí he had in his possession for his own protection. Flynn has seven previous convictions for road traffic offences.
Det Gda Flanagan agreed with Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, defending, that there was no suggestion his client was a member of any kind of gang. He accepted it was unlikely Flynn would do something like this in the future.
Mr O'Loughlin said his client took no care to hide the drugs and they were sitting out in the open. He said his client's life has been destroyed by this, but that he is aware this is his own fault.
Judge Pauline Codd said she considered the fact that Flynn had a young child in the car with him to be an aggravating factor in the case. She said he appeared to have been “a mere courier” and was the lowest cog in the organisation who committed the offence for a one-off payment.
Judge Codd sentenced Flynn to seven years imprisonment, but suspended the final three years of the sentence on strict conditions.
