Ireland Man given suspended sentence over €8,000 of alprazolam stored in socks at Limerick home
Thomas Quinn, a 41-year-old man of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, stored alprazolam (Xanax) tablets at his home after being directed to by drug dealers, to pay off a cocaine debt. Gardaí executed a search warrant at his address, where four socks containing tablets valued at €8,000 were found in a spare bedroom; the offence is dated 15 February 2022. Quinn pleaded guilty to possession of alprazolam for sale or supply. On 1 August 2024 Judge Dermot Sheehan at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court reduced a headline sentence of four years to two and a half years and suspended it in full, a result reported again on 6 August 2024.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced1 Aug
2 reports
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Thomas Quinn, a 41-year-old man, stored alprazolam (Xanax) tablets for criminals to pay off his own drug debt.
- Quinn took four socks containing €8,000 worth of Xanax tablets, and this was the third time he had collected drugs.
- Where
- Quinn was directed to store the tablets at his home at Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick.
- The drugs were found in a spare bedroom at Quinn's home.
- When
- The offence and guilty plea are dated 15 February 2022, though one report gives this date as the plea date and the other as the offence date.
- Cause
- Quinn was in debt to drug dealers for a cocaine habit and told gardaí he had amassed this debt.
- Quinn had €200 wiped off his cocaine debt each time he stored drugs.
- Investigation
- A search warrant was executed on Quinn's address by Detective Garda Michelle Browne and members of the Divisional Drugs Unit.
- Charges
- Quinn pleaded guilty to possession of alprazolam for sale or supply, and to possession of the tablets.
- In court
- Quinn was sentenced at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, also reported as Limerick Circuit Court, before Judge Dermot Sheehan.
- Sentence
- Judge Sheehan reduced a headline sentence of four years to a two and a half year jail sentence and suspended it in full.
- Other details
- Quinn had 14 previous convictions between 2002 and 2012 and was on a job seekers allowance of €185 a week.
- Gardaí accepted that Quinn was addicted to cocaine and vulnerable to drug dealers.
18 statements extracted from the articles
- whatQuinn stored drugs for criminals to pay off his own drug debt. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatQuinn took four socks containing €8,000 worth of Xanax tablets. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatQuinn had €200 wiped off his cocaine debt each time he collected drugs. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatDrugs valued at €8,000 were stored in socks at a man's home. (limerickleader.ie)
- whereQuinn was directed to store the Xanax tablets at his home. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe drugs were found in a spare bedroom at the accused's home. (limerickleader.ie)
- causeQuinn was in debt to drug dealers for a cocaine habit. (limerickpost.ie)
- causeQuinn told gardaí he had amassed a cocaine debt and was directed to store the drugs in his house. (limerickleader.ie)
- cause€200 would be taken off Quinn's debt for each time he stored drugs. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationA search warrant was executed on the accused's address by Detective Garda Michelle Browne and members of the Divisional Drugs Unit. (limerickleader.ie)
- chargeQuinn pleaded guilty to possession of the tablets and possession of the tablets for sale and supply. (limerickpost.ie)
- chargeThomas Quinn pleaded guilty to possession of alprazolam for sale or supply. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtQuinn was sentenced at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Limerick Circuit Court before Judge Dermot Sheehan. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge reduced a headline sentence of four years to two and a half years and fully suspended it. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceJudge Sheehan imposed a two and a half year jail sentence, suspended in full. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherQuinn had 14 previous convictions between 2002 and 2012. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherGardaí accepted that Quinn was addicted to cocaine and vulnerable to drug dealers. (limerickpost.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 6 Aug2024Gardai discover drugs stored in socks during raid on Limerick home
Court report on the sentencing of a guilty plea; the article gives February 15, 2022 as the date of the plea and offence, with no separate offence date.
convicted, Thomas Quinn, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Quinn - 1 Aug2024Addict stored drugs in socks to pay off his own drug debt
Reports the guilty pleas, the sentencing hearing at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, the quantity and value of the tablets, Quinn's cocaine debt and previous convictions, and the fully suspended sentence imposed by Judge Dermot Sheehan.
convicted, Thomas Quinn, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Quinn