Man, 44, arrested as he stepped off train at Cork station with heroin and cocaine

A 44-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after stepping off the Dublin train into the arms of gardaí in Cork while carrying heroin and cocaine.

Abdullah Abdi, with an address at Gardiner St, Dublin, was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Dara Hayes to four-and-a-half years in jail, with the last two years suspended.

Defence barrister Dermot Sheehan emphasised the tragic early life of Abdi in Somalia and he asked for a sentence that would allow the accused to get treatment.

Judge Hayes referred to the fact that the accused man had not one but several previous drug-dealing convictions and said it was rare to find someone with so many previous supply convictions.

“The probation officer noted a significant downplaying of his role in his offences,” said Judge Hayes.

“He accepted that he was carrying the drugs for someone else and was to get some small reward for doing so.

“In this case, [he] pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply on December 9, 2020. He travelled from Dublin to Cork. He was met at Kent Station by the gardaí. He had €3,800 worth of heroin and €253 of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis for his own use.

“He said he was paid in heroin or in cash for bringing a small packet and he did not know what was in it. The accused had been living on the streets of Dublin.”

He had six previous convictions for having drugs for sale or supply.

Mr Sheehan said the accused has a chronic brain tumour and had been living in quite awful conditions on the outskirts of Dublin city centre.

Judge Hayes said: “He displayed the need and want to address his many issues.

“He is a refugee from Somalia. His mother was killed in that conflict.

“He came to Ireland as a teenager. He is now 45.

“He is deemed a very high risk of reoffending due to his lack of pro-social reports and significant level of drug use.

“He is on 85ml of methadone in prison. He has engaged for a drug treatment programme in Dublin.

“He plans to re-engage with the support services. He requires significant intervention.

“His role was at a low level but is nonetheless important in allowing drugs to be moved in and around the country, including Cork.”