Jail sentences for Mayoman after cocaine seizure
A Westport man already serving a prison sentence has been handed further concurrent jail terms at Castlebar District Court following guilty pleas to drug and theft charges.
Gerard O’Sullivan, of Brewery Place, Westport, appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy where she accepted jurisdiction on two matters.
Garda Michael Joyce outlined the facts of the more serious offence, arising from a search carried out by the Mayo Divisional Drugs Unit at Apartment 9, Bridge Street, Westport, on December 3, 2022.
Four men were present during the operation.
Gardaí recovered cocaine, deal bags and weighing scales. After being cautioned, O’Sullivan admitted the cocaine was his. He was arrested, conveyed to Castlebar Garda Station and made full admissions.
A certificate later confirmed the substance seized, amounting to 55.7 grams, with an estimated value of €3,899, was cocaine.
The DPP directed that the matter be dealt with summarily on a guilty plea.
O’Sullivan has 38 previous convictions, including for drug offences, theft, and a prior sale-and-supply conviction in Ennis.
He is currently serving a sentence imposed by Castlebar Circuit Court and is due for release on August 7, 2027.
Barrister Kathleen Henry, BL, (for O’Sullivan), said her client cooperated fully during the investigation.
Garda Joyce confirmed he had been “pleasant throughout.”
Ms. Henry said O’Sullivan had endured a difficult childhood, losing his mother at a young age before being raised by siblings and extended family after his father was removed from the home.
His sister, who played a significant role in his upbringing, had also passed away, which she said had contributed to his relapse into offending.
She said her client had worked as a plasterer when not in trouble and had the capacity to rebuild his life.
He was currently sober in custody and serving 23-hour confinement but hoped to pursue treatment and eventually live with a sister in Manchester who has offered support.
Judge Murphy noted the “significant amount” of cocaine seized, along with 33 deal bags and weighing scales, describing it as a “full-scale operation” and a matter at the upper limit of the District Court’s jurisdiction.
The court also heard a second charge, arising from the theft of two Claddagh rings from Rings and Things, Bridge Street, Castlebar, on May 16, 2023.
Sergeant John O’Reilly informed the court that O’Sullivan entered the shop, distracted the owner, placed the rings in his pocket and left without paying. The incident was captured on CCTV. He has six previous convictions for theft.
Ms. Henry said her client had only been charged that morning and had no means of compensation.
He could not recall the incident but wished to apologise. She said he wanted all matters dealt with so he could continue focusing on rehabilitation.
Judge Murphy said she had considered all aggravating and mitigating factors.
She described the cocaine offence as “very significant,” noting the high-value drugs, the paraphernalia seized and the wider impact of cocaine availability in the county.
While acknowledging O’Sullivan’s early admissions and detailed psychological report outlining trauma and addiction, the judge said the matter merited a custodial sentence.
O’Sullivan was convicted and sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently with the sentence he is already serving.
On the theft matter, the judge noted the lack of recovered property, the impact on a small business, O’Sullivan’s previous theft convictions and the element of premeditation involved by distracting the owner.
Taking into account his guilty plea and psychological circumstances, she imposed a five-month sentence, also concurrent.
* Published under the Courts Reporting Scheme.