A 49-year-old Oughterard man, who because of severe financial difficulties agreed in desperation to act as a drugs mule - attempting to transport nearly €6,000 worth of cannabis resin to Dublin - told gardai when charged, “It was the worst mistake of my life”.
However, because of his evident nervousness John Prunty, with an address at 61 Carrowmonagh, Oughterard, only got as far as the Dublin Road at Merlin Park when he was stopped by eagle-eyed drugs unit members. Hearing how Prunty, who has no previous convictions, had been used by more unscrupulous individuals, Judge Mary Fahy convicted him and imposed an 11 month sentence which was suspended for 12 months.
Prunty appeared before Galway District Court on Monday charged with possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply on December 17, 2010. Garda Cathal Rodgers gave evidence that at 4.30pm the defendant was stopped driving on the Dublin Road and during a search of the vehicle a quantity of cannabis resin was found. Garda Rodgers further explained that the drugs, weighing 982 grams with an estimated street value of €5,882, had been found sitting near the front seat on the ground. He added that when cautioned Prunty had said that he was aware it was drugs and that a gentlemen had approached him in a public house in Moycullen and offered him €300 and petrol money to do a run to Dublin.
The court heard that the defendant had agreed to do this because he had been in a lot of financial difficulties at the time. Garda Rodgers further explained that there had been no other drugs or paraphernalia found in the defendant’s home and that he was fully co-operative.
Defence barrister Brendan Browne said that his client fully admitted to his role in transporting the drugs and that when interviewed Prunty told gardai that he had no money at the time, that he had been behind in his mortgage payments. “He was desperate,” said Mr Browne, who added that Prunty has expressed remorse, telling gardai: “I’m sorry, it was the worst mistake of my life”.
Garda Rodger then told the court that Prunty would not have been under the radar of gardai before this incident and that the reason he had been stopped was because of “his nervousness”. He added that the defendant has not come to notice since.
Mr Browne explained that at time his client, a father of two, had been under intense pressure financial as it was coming up to Christmas. “Would you accept that this was a once off, that his role was one of a courier or what is known as a drugs mule?” Mr Browne asked Garda Rodgers, who accepted this.
Noting that Prunty had been approached a number of times by an individual before agreeing to the proposition, Judge Fahy said that this person would have known that the defendant would not have been suspected by gardai, that this is why he was chosen and used in this manner. Judge Fahy then convicted Prunty and imposed an 11-month sentence which was suspended for 12 months on condition that he be of good behaviour. As he had used his vehicle in the crime Prunty was also disqualified from driving for two years. An order was made for the destruction of the drugs.
