A former Kerry garda has admitted to the possession of illegal drugs, but will be spared a conviction if he contributes money to a local addiction treatment centre.
42-year-old Niall O’Connor, who worked as a garda in the Tralee area until his suspension in 2021, pleaded guilty to the possession of liquid ecstasy.
He also faced a charge of possession of drugs for sale or supply, but this was withdrawn.
Niall O’Connor admitted to having possession of liquid ecstasy at a hotel room in Tralee in February 2021.
He was suspended from duty from the date of the offence, but his solicitor Pádraig O’Connell told the court he is no longer a serving member of An Garda Síochána – state solicitor Diane Reidy confirmed a resignation had been handed in this morning.
The court heard Niall O’Connor has no previous convictions, and Ms Reidy agreed with Judge David Waters that he had a totally clean record.
His solicitor Pádraig O’Connell said his client had made admissions to the possession of drugs, and had co-operated fully.
He said there’s a certain odium attached to someone in Mr O’Connor’s profession charged the offence, and he had been exemplary in his post.
He asked Judge Waters to give him one opportunity, as he would anyone else, to make a voluntary contribution and keep his record clean.
He said it had been a dreadful ordeal for his client, and asked the court to give him a glimmer of light.
Judge Waters said it had been the practice of the court for some time, on first conviction for possession of drugs with no previous, to give defendants an opportunity to keep their record clean.
Judge Waters said on the one hand, it’s an aggravating factor he was a serving garda, but the corollary of that was that the case had a more serious effect on him due to his position.
He said he is going to give Mr O’Connor the opportunity to make a voluntary contribution of €500 to The Grove addiction treatment centre.
If the receipt of that payment is handed into court on March 26th, the matter will be struck out; Mr O’Connor’s solicitor Pádraig O’Connell told the court the payment will be made.
