Ireland Case No. 15770Drug offences (possession for sale or supply) · Co. Kildare
Limerick man's drugs conviction quashed by Court of Appeal
A 46-year-old Limerick man, Noel Noonan, was stopped by gardaí on the M7 motorway in County Kildare on 13 February 2017 after an automatic number plate recognition check showed his car was untaxed. Gardaí found 6.6 kg of amphetamine and alprazolam with a combined market value of €137,858 in the boot of the Toyota Corolla he was driving, and he was charged in March 2017 with possession for sale or supply of drugs worth over €13,000. A jury at Naas Circuit Criminal Court convicted him unanimously in February 2023, and on 19 June 2023 he was sentenced to nine years with the final six months suspended. On 15 October 2024 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction, ruling that a tip-off phone call should not have been admitted as evidence, and sent the case back to Naas Circuit Court; the Supreme Court granted leave to appeal from that decision on 21 January 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court16 Oct
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 46-year-old Limerick man, Noel Noonan, was jailed for eight and a half years after drugs worth almost €140,000 were found in the boot of his car.
- Where
- The car was stopped on the M7 motorway in County Kildare; one statement gives the N7 instead.
- When
- The stop took place on 13 February 2017.
- Cause
- Gardaí stopped the car after an automatic number plate recognition system showed it was not taxed.
- Investigation
- Garda Dave Farragher stopped the car, and Mr Noonan could not produce a driving licence; the insurance certificate showed he was not insured to drive it.
- Gardaí found 6.6 kg of amphetamine, worth about €100,000, and €37,000 worth of alprazolam (Xanax) in the boot, with a combined market value of €137,858.
- Mr Noonan was arrested and detained, and when interviewed he denied knowledge of the drugs.
- Charges
- He was charged in March 2017 with a number of offences, including possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs valued over €13,000 under section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
- In court
- The case was heard at the Naas Circuit Criminal Court, where a jury unanimously convicted him on all counts in February 2023.
- On 15 October 2024 the Court of Appeal ruled that a tip-off phone call to the investigating garda should not have been admitted as evidence at trial.
- The Court of Appeal upheld two grounds of appeal about hearsay evidence, found it had a significant prejudicial effect on the defence, and quashed the conviction.
- The Court of Appeal found the search of the car was valid under the doctrine of self-protection, and the matter was sent back to Naas Circuit Court.
- On 21 January 2025 the Supreme Court granted leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal decision.
- Sentence
- On 19 June 2023 he was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended, reported as jailed for eight and a half years.
32 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA Limerick man was jailed for eight and a half years after drugs worth almost €140,000 were found in the boot of his car. (kildarenow.com)
- whatThe Court of Appeal quashed a Limerick man's conviction for serious drugs offences. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatForensic testing found 6.6 kg of amphetamine, worth about €100,000, and €37,000 worth of alprazolam. (courts.ie)
- whereThe car was stopped on the M7 motorway close to Kildare. (kildarenow.com)
- whereThe drugs offence was on the M7 motorway in County Kildare. (limerickleader.ie)
- whenOn 13 February 2017, Noel Noonan was driving a Toyota Corolla on the N7 motorway when he was stopped by Garda Dave Farragher. (courts.ie)
- causeHe was stopped because the ANPR system detected that the car was not taxed. (kildarenow.com)
- causeThe car was stopped after an automatic number plate recognition system showed it was not taxed. (courts.ie)
- investigationThe drugs found in the car had a market value of €137,858. (kildarenow.com, limerickleader.ie)
- investigationWhen interviewed, he denied knowledge of the drugs in the boot. (kildarenow.com)
- investigationGardaí stopped the car after the number plate recognition system showed it was not taxed. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationA garda found a quantity of Xanax and a package containing amphetamine in the boot of the car. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationGardaí found drugs in the car when they examined it. (courts.ie)
- investigationThe accused was arrested and detained for the garda investigation into the discovery of the drugs. (courts.ie)
- chargeNoel Noonan was convicted by a unanimous jury verdict of having drugs worth over €13,000 for sale or supply. (kildarenow.com, limerickleader.ie)
- chargeHe was charged with a number of offences in March 2017. (courts.ie)
- chargeOne count was possession of controlled drugs with a value greater than €13,000 under section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. (courts.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal ruled that a tip-off phone call should not have been admitted as evidence at trial. (kildarenow.com, limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal upheld the two grounds of appeal related to hearsay evidence. (kildarenow.com)
- courtThe conviction was quashed and the matter was sent back to Naas Circuit Court. (kildarenow.com)
- courtThe Court of Appeal said the hearsay evidence had a significant prejudicial effect on the defence case. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe matter will be sent back to Naas Circuit Court. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe case was heard before the Naas Circuit Criminal Court. (courts.ie)
- courtIn February 2023 a jury unanimously convicted him on all counts. (courts.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal upheld two grounds of appeal about hearsay evidence admitted at trial. (courts.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal found that the search of the car was valid under the doctrine of self-protection. (courts.ie)
- courtThe Supreme Court granted leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal. (courts.ie)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to nine years with the final six months suspended on June 19, 2023. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on conditions. (courts.ie)
- otherHe could not produce a driving licence, and the insurance certificate showed he was not insured to drive the car. (kildarenow.com)
- otherWhen interviewed, Mr Noonan denied knowledge of the drugs. (limerickleader.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Jan2025[2025] IESCDET 3 Supreme Court: The People (at the suit of the Director of Public Prosecutions) -v- Noel Noonan
Supreme Court determination granting leave to appeal. The Court of Appeal quashed the 2023 conviction and ordered a retrial. The appeal adds a challenge to the legality of the search of the seized vehicle.
accused, Noel Noonan, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel Noonan - 16 Oct2024Limerick man has conviction for serious drugs offences quashed by Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal quashed the conviction and sent the case back to Naas Circuit Court. The article gives no date for the stop, only that the judgment was delivered on a Tuesday.
convicted, Noel Noonan, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel Noonan - 16 Oct2024Man jailed for having drugs in his car boot when stopped on M7 has conviction quashed
Reports the Court of Appeal quashing the June 2023 conviction and sending the case back to Naas Circuit Court. No existing case matches this one.
convicted, Noel Noonan, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel Noonan