Richard Rock, the 24-year-old son of show-band star Dickie Rock pleaded guilty to two drug charges in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today. Mr Rock admitted possessing heroin and allowing his car to be used for carrying drugs. His case has been adjourned until July to enable the probation service to report if they can provide a programme of supervision in the case.
It seems that Richard Rock first became involved with drugs when he went to Spain at 17. He began with ecstasy and then started smoking heroin. Today his father, Dickie Rock broke down in the witness box when he told the court his son had received a sentence over the last two years since he was arrested that he does not deserve because of his father's name and fame. Richard Rock was arrested in a Dublin Hotel in June 1998 and charged with possession of heroin and allowing his car to be used to distribute the drug. He admitted his offence and made a full statement.
Dickie Rock said that his son had joined the initial Boyzone line-up, but left over a musical disagreement before the band hit the big time. More recently he has appeared in panto. He now works in a Dublin city store and has received treatment for his drug problem. Counsel Patrick Gageby urged the court to be lenient. He has no previous convictions and has a good stable family. Judge Elizabeth Dunne put the case back to next July to obtain a probation report and to see what further supervision the probation service could provide.
