Drug dealer's "trusted associate" jailed for three years

Friday 15 March 2019

A 25-year-old "trusted associated" in a drug operation, who had planned to sell £90,000 worth of cannabis to fuel his gambling habit, has been jailed for three years.

Sean Liam Cooney appeared in Royal Court yesterday facing eight charges, including possession of cannabis resin, intent to supply, obstruction of a police officer in the execution of their duty and assisting a drug smuggling operation by holding money for the people involved.

Cooney was also charged with malicious damage, using a vehicle without insurance and wrongful use of an insurance disc.

Pictured: Cooney appeared in the Royal Court today.

The Court heard that on 23 October, police officers were alerted by a member of the public that the occupants of a blue BMW, belonging to Cooney, had been seen drinking and smoking drugs while parked at Samares School.

One of the officers noticed the insurance disc displayed on the BMW showed another vehicle’s details.

The officers told Cooney and his friend they were going to be detained and that they would be searched, as well as the vehicle. Both denied having any drugs. 

Cooney then turned and ran from the officers before jumping on a car parked nearby to launch himself over a wall and a 10-foot high hedge, causing a large dent on the vehicle.

Pictured: Cooney ran from police officers before they could search him.

The officers ran after Cooney and searched the nearby area but couldn’t find him. They returned to the car, which was searched with the help of a police dog.

'Jack' - as the Police dog is known - found two bars of cannabis resin weighing just over 188 grams in the front of the vehicle, as well as a bag containing 44 bars of cannabis resin (4.5 kilos), worth between £67,500 and £90,000. In the boot, he also discovered £5,350 in £50, £20 and £10 notes.

Officers later found an additional £670 in cash inside the driver’s door pocket. 

Cooney went to Police Headquarters on 26 October and was arrested. He refused to answer any questions put to him by officers. 

Pictured: A total of 46 bars of cannabis resin were found in Cooney's vehicle.

He eventually admitted that he had been given all of the cannabis by someone he knew through his own “social smoking of cannabis.” He said he intended to supply it to help with his financial issues caused by his “gambling habit and shoulder injury that resulted in me being out of work".

Cooney also admitted the £670 were his and were proceeds from the cannabis he had already sold and his gambling activities. 

While he denied the cash found in the boot of the car was his, he admitted suspecting it was “illegitimate money". He said he was “minding it” for the person who had supplied him with the cannabis and that he was due to return it the same day.

Pictured: Cooney denied the £5,350 found in the boot of his car were his.

He also told officers that he wasn't aware his insurance had been cancelled. He denied purposefully using a wrong disc, saying he had "mistakenly" put it on his BMW because the registration was similar to his.

Crown Advocate Conrad Yates, described Cooney as “a trusted associate in a drug dealing enterprise” as he argued for a total sentence of three years.

Defending, Advocate Chris Hillier said the offences were “not a sophisticated crime”, painting a picture of Cooney as “a disorganised individual who makes poor choices” and that he had in this instance been “reckless and foolish".

He acknowledged his client had a criminal record, but said that these were his first "major" offences and noting that he had been "out of trouble" for three years.

Pictured: The Lieutenant Bailiff, Anthony Olsen, was sitting with Jurats Kim Avery and Charles Blampied.

He told Court that Cooney was in a relationship and was motivated “to not repeat mistakes of the past”, explaining that while in custody Cooney had taken on a building-related course in the prison, as well as achieving his GCSEs. Advocate Hillier also reassured the Court that Cooney had no longer access to funds and that his gambling habit was “something of the past.”

Returning the sentence, the Lieutenant Bailiff, Antony Olsen, who was sitting with Jurats Kim Avery and Charles Blampied, said they had noted the Social Enquiry Report described Cooney as a “trusted associate of someone above him in a drug dealing enterprise.”

He said the Court agreed with the Crown’s recommendations and sentenced Cooney to three years in prison. He however added that Cooney should “consider himself lucky” it wasn’t more, as the Court had considered imposing a further three months for Cooney’s escape.

The Lieutenant Bailiff said: “We feel sorry for the difficulties he has had and we have shown mercy.”