Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21884Drugs offence (possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply) · Co. Dublin · 12 Jun 2005

Man sentenced to four years for 2005 Dublin drugs offence

Joseph Rogerson, 73, admitted possessing just over a kilo of cocaine and some heroin for sale or supply on 12 June 2005, with the drugs found in his car on Rock Road, Blackrock, and at a house in Ballybrack, Dublin. He was due to be sentenced in November 2006 but took a bench warrant and fled to the Canary Islands. He returned to Ireland on 8 March 2023, alerting gardaí he would be flying into Cork Airport, and surrendered himself voluntarily. He was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, backdated to 8 March 2023.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced16 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Joseph Rogerson admitted possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply on 12 June 2005.
  • Just over a kilo of cocaine and some heroin were seized with a combined value of €146,552.
  • Three packages of heroin were found in the sun visor of his car, cocaine and heroin were found in socks at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station, and drugs were found in a dressing gown pocket and under the bonnet of another car.
Where
Drugs were found in his car on Rock Road, Blackrock, and at a house in Ballybrack, Dublin.
When
  • He was due to be sentenced in November 2006 but took a bench warrant and fled to the Canary Islands.
  • He returned to Ireland on 8 March 2023 and surrendered himself voluntarily to gardaí after alerting them he would be flying into Cork Airport.
In court
He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sentence
He was sentenced to four years in prison, backdated to 8 March 2023.
Other details
  • He had 31 previous convictions including 23 for larceny, and had not offended since 1987 aside from the 2005 drugs offences.
  • He had a gambling debt that made him vulnerable to third parties, and the judge said the pressure on him was self-made.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatJoseph Rogerson admitted possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply on 12 June 2005 (thejournal.ie)
  • whatJust over a kilo of cocaine and some heroin were seized with a combined value of €146,552 (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThree packages containing heroin were found in the sun visor area of his car (thejournal.ie)
  • whatCocaine was found in one sock and heroin in the other at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station (thejournal.ie)
  • whatDrugs were found in a dressing gown pocket in a bedroom and under the bonnet of a different car in the driveway (thejournal.ie)
  • whereDrugs were found in his car on Rock Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin (thejournal.ie)
  • whereDrugs were also found at a house in Ballybrack, Dublin (thejournal.ie)
  • whenHe was due to be sentenced in November 2006 (thejournal.ie)
  • whenHe returned to Ireland on 8 March 2023 (thejournal.ie)
  • causeHe had a gambling debt that made him vulnerable to third parties (thejournal.ie)
  • courtHe was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceHe was sentenced to four years in prison (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe four-year sentence was backdated to 8 March (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe fled to the Canary Islands after taking a bench warrant (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe had 31 previous convictions including 23 for larceny and others for assault (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe had not offended since 1987 aside from the 2005 drugs offences (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe spent time in a residential institution as a youth (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe alerted gardaí he would be flying into Cork Airport to visit a family member (thejournal.ie)
  • otherHe surrendered himself voluntarily to gardaí (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe judge said the pressure on Rogerson was self-made (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Mar2023
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Man (73) who fled to Tenerife 18 years ago jailed for four years for drug dealing charge

    Sentencing report detailing the 2005 drug seizure in Blackrock and Ballybrack, Rogerson's 18-year flight to Tenerife, his voluntary return in March 2023, and the four-year sentence backdated to 8 March 2023.

    convicted, Joseph Rogerson, 73, male, namedJoseph Rogerson