A Dublin mother has been jailed for three years for allowing almost €600,000 worth of heroin and cocaine to be stored at her house.
Sarah Clarke was arrested after Gardaí searched her home at New Bancroft Place in Tallaght on October 17th last year.
When Gardaí raided Sarah Clarke’s home, they found almost 4 kilos of heroin worth €550,000 and half a kilo of cocaine worth €34,000.
The court heard she gave others the key to her apartment knowing of their intention to store drugs there.
Her barrister Sean Gillane pleaded for a non-custodial sentence to be handed down by telling Judge Martin Nolan that she felt under pressure to take them in because of a drug debt and that she felt somewhat threatened.
Judge Nolan accepted that she was put in a vulnerable position but said it was a position she found herself in by reason of her own behaviour.
He also accepted all the other facts put forward as part of her mitigation, including her early plea, co-operation and lack of previous convictions but he said the facts of the crime were too serious not to impose a custodial sentence.
He decided a six year sentence with the final three years suspended was appropriate.
His decision was met with tears from both the accused and her family and friends, who filled two rows of the public gallery.
