A member of the Irish Defence Forces who was caught with close to €27,000 worth of cocaine at an army barracks in Cork was using his room onsite as a "safe haven" for storing drugs, a court has heard.
Shane Scanlon of Cooline Heights, Ballyvoloon, Cobh in Co Cork first appeared in court in March of last year in connection with the offence.
The 34-year-old was before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing.
Detective Garda Derry O'Brien said that on 27 March 2024 a search of Room 21 was carried out at Collins Barracks in Cork.
He told Judge Dermot Sheehan that Mr Scanlon was the sole occupant of the room.
Det Gda O’Brien said that gardaí recovered cocaine with a street value of €26,900 in the room and €1,100 in cash.
They also found "numerous drug paraphernalia" including a blender used for mixing drugs, a weighing scales and bags.
Det Gda O’Brien said that Mr Scanlon made full admissions in relation to his ownership of the items.
He was detained at Mayfield Garda Station on the north side of Cork city where he admitted to gardaí that he had the drugs for sale and supply.
The court heard that a search was also carried out at his home where €2,250 in cash was recovered.
Det Gda O’Brien said that Mr Scanlon told them that he was not a drug user.
Gardaí found evidence of drug dealing on his phone with the offending behaviour going as far back as 2021.
Det Gda O’Brien told Judge Sheehan that Mr Scanlon was storing drugs in the barracks.
"He was using it (Collins Barracks) as a safe haven as opposed to his home address in Cobh."
Mr O’Scanlon has two previous convictions for minor driving offences. He has not come to the attention of gardaí since his arrest.
A forfeiture order has been made in relation to the monies recovered whilst the drugs paraphernalia recovered is set to be destroyed.
Defence barrister, Ray Boland, SC, said that his client had come forward on a signed guilty plea.
He also said that Mr Scanlon made full admissions and immediately cooperated with gardaí following his arrest.
Mr Boland stated that gardaí carried out the search of the room in Collins Barracks having received information about suspected activity onsite.
Mr Boland said that his client had resigned from the Army after 18 years of "otherwise exemplary service".
He appealed for leniency in the case given the previous good character of Mr Scanlon whom he said deserved extra credit for his signed plea.
Mr Boland said that his client was aware of the "shame and disrepute" he had caused via his actions.
He asked that a suspended sentence be imposed in the case and stressed that his client was "under financial pressure" when he committed the offences.
Mr Boland said the probation officer who handled his case had deemed Mr Scanlon at moderate risk of reoffending as he was "less than forthright about his previous convictions."
However, Mr Boland said that Mr Scanlon did not see the relevance of his driving convictions to the case.
He said that there was a certain degree of naivety at play in relation to how Mr Scanlon interacted with the probation service.
Mr Boland added that his client was a suitable candidate for monitoring by the probation service.
Judge Sheehan said that the probation officer had noted a "lack of insight’ by the accused into the impact of his offending.
"There is no drug addict here. No list of previous convictions. No unemployment. He (Mr Scanlon) doesn’t seem to understand how serious the impact of these offences are."
He remanded Mr Scanlon on bail until Friday when sentencing will be imposed in the case. The accused previously surrendered his passport. He has to continue to sign on at Cobh Garda Station whilst on bail.
Mr Scanlon previously pleaded guilty to being in possession of cocaine at Collins Barracks on Old Youghal Road in Cork for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to another, on 27 March 2024.
He also admitted having cocaine unlawfully in his possession for his own use on the same occasion.
Mr Scanlon also pleaded guilty to money-laundering in respect of €1,100 at Collins Barracks and another sum of €2,250 at his home in Cobh.
He also entered a guilty plea to being in possession of articles, namely a blender and weighing scales in circumstances giving rise to a "reasonable inference" it was for the purpose of commission, preparation, facilitation or instigation of a drug-trafficking offence.
The charge of having cocaine for sale and supply when it exceeds €13,000 comes with a mandatory ten-year minimum prison sentence unless there are exceptional circumstances.
