The case against a woman who is alleged to have passed drugs onto her former boyfriend by kissing him, was adjourned at Castlecomer District Court this week.
Suzanne Dowling with an address at 19 Church Avenue, Castlecomer is alleged to have passed two wraps of suspected heroin to a prisoner who was attending Castlecomer Court on February 16 last year.
The defendant’s solicitor Michael Lanigan claimed, during the October sitting of Castlecomer District Court, that the evidence given by prison officer John Howlin at at an earlier court sitting on May 19, was insufficient to identify the accused as being the person who passed the drugs.
Judge William Harnett had adjourned the case until this week so that the previous Superintendent, Supt Pat Mangan, who was in charge of the case at the time, could attend the court on Monday.
However, Judge Harnett this week agreed to adjourn the case again until February 16 as Supt Mangan was at Naas District Court on Monday. Detective Garda Mark Wall who interviewed the defendant was also ordered to attend the court in February.
The alleged incident took place on February 16 , 2007 outside the court-room in the hallway at around 2pm in front of five or six people when the prisoner was secured to the prison officer's left arm using eight inch rigid handcuffs. Prison officer, John Howlin told the court in May, that while they were waiting in the hallway, the defendant came up to the prisoner's left-hand side and immediately kissed him, passing a prohibited article. He then brought the prisoner out to the prison van, and the article, which was later identified as being heroin, was recovered.
Judge Harnett also adjourned further charges against Ms Dowling, including a number of offences under the Road Traffic Act and an alleged assault charge until the February sitting of Castlecomer District Court.
