A 30-year-old Cork woman who risked her health to swallow packages of heroin worth €2,800 to transport the drug from Dublin to Cork has been jailed for another 12 months.

Patricia Hogan was originally sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to 18 months with the last 12 months suspended for possession of heroin for sale or supply having carried the drugs internally on the Dublin/Cork train.

It has now been brought to the attention of Judge Catherine Staines that the young woman failed to comply with the terms of the suspension of the main part of the sentence.

Judge Staines revoked the suspension and said she would have to serve that sentence. However, the judge said that as soon as a rehabilitation place became available for Ms Hogan at Coolmine treatment centre she should be released from prison to take it up.

The original sentence of 18 months with 12 months of that suspended was imposed on November 11 2022. 18 days later she was released from prison on a temporary release programme. She was required to come under the direction of the probation service as a condition of her release but she failed to do so.

Judge Staines was told that the accused was contacted numerous times by the probation service but failed to come under their direction.

Paula McCarthy defence barrister said the defendant unfortunately had chronic addiction issues. Ms McCarthy said that when the young woman was caught carrying the heroin internally it was an offence she was committing for someone else.

Patricia Hogan told Judge Staines she had come off heroin and wants to get into residential treatment in Coolmine.

“I am clear eight months,” the defendant said in court. 

Judge Staines told the accused that being a serving prisoner now should speed up her chances of getting into Coolmine.

Detective Garda Linda O’Keeffe said the offence was detected on October 21 2020.

On that date gardaí observed Patricia Hogan of no fixed address getting off the Dublin train at Kent railway station in Cork.

“She was arrested under the Misuse of Drugs Act. She was taken to the Bridewell garda station and detained. 

"During her time there two packages of diamorphine concealed on her person were detected. The packets weighed just over 20 grams and had a street value of €2,800. Gardaí were quite concerned for her health.” 

Defence barrister, Ms McCarthy, said: “She had concealed the drugs internally. She was in the company of a man. She was under the control of this man. Effectively, she was being used as a vessel to transport the drugs and there was an element of fear.” 

Ms McCarthy BL said Patricia Hogan had a chronic heroin addiction.

When this proposition was put to Det Garda O’Keeffe she replied: “Absolutely. She became unwell in the Bridewell and she passed the two packages of Diamorphine. She had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.”