That evidence was given during a sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court when Nathan Ross, Glassdrumman, Annalong, Co. Down, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis for sale or supply with a value of €13,000 or more.
That evidence was given during a sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court when Nathan Ross, Glassdrumman, Annalong, Co. Down, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis for sale or supply with a value of €13,000 or more.
The offence occurred at Inner Relief Road, Dundalk, on October 4, 2016. Five kilogrammes of drugs which were recovered from the van were valued €100,000.
The case was heard in Dundalk Circuit Court.
News in 90 Seconds – Aug 8th
Sentencing was adjourned to October 20 for gardaí to confirm previous convictions in Northern Ireland. The defendant was remanded in custody.
Gda James Smith said that colleagues were alerted to a white Fiat van on the old Newry Road out of Dundalk.
It failed to stop for officers and increased its speed travelling north towards the Ballymascanlon roundabout. Other gardaí were notified of the pursuit.
This vehicle attempted to overtake before braking sharply. It parked up on the hard shoulder and Mr Ross, who was driving, got out and jumped over a fence. He fell into a drain on the other side.
Gda Smith continued that the defendant began crawling along the drain. Gardaí told him to stop and when they asked what was in the van, he replied “grass”.
He was cautioned while in the drain and didn’t respond further or stop.
He then crawled out and ran into a field, evading capture. Despite the Garda Air Support Unit being deployed Mr Ross managed to get away.
Later that evening, a shop assistant at Conyard’s on the old Newry Road reported to the guards that a man had ordered a taxi from the shop using his own name and had gone north to Warrenpoint in Co. Down.
Gda Smith said that the accused was stopped at that end by the PSNI and taken into custody.
The court heard that the cannabis weighed 4.97kgs and was valued €99,480.
Mr Ross has no previous convictions in the Republic of Ireland. He is known to the PSNI. That he has over 200 previous convictions in Northern Ireland has to be confirmed, Judge Dara Hayes was told.
Gda Smith continued that the delay was down to the defendant being outside the jurisdiction.
He was charged last April and never took up bail. He has been in custody since April 24.
Mr Ross, who is in a relationship and has four stepchildren, had been under investigation in Northern Ireland for alleged importation of drugs. No prosecution was directed.
His counsel said that he tried to hand himself into a garda station but no charges had been brought at that stage.
He was addicted to drugs at the time and has attended Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Counsel added that the accused worked in construction and on contracts for the Housing Executive and Prison Service in the North.
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