Jail for addict caught with €3,000 of heroin in bedroom

Sarah Howlett (27), of 323 Castle Park, Ballybane, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court in July to having the heroin in her possession and having the drug for sale or supply to others on January 21 last.

Garda Barry Nugent found the heroin hidden in her pillow and in the sleeve of her jacket while searching Howlett’s bedroom.

Sentence was adjourned to this week’s court for the preparation of a probation report. However, while Howlett was out on bail she was caught in a Garda sting operation when she sold heroin to a undercover garda in Eyre Square on August 19 last. She also pleaded guilty to a series of shoplifting offences.

Handing letters from the HSE into court in July, defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor told visiting Judge Marie Keane that Howlett’s situation was “absolutely dire” when Gardai raided her home in January and found the heroin.

Howlett’s children are in care and their father died in tragic circumstances, Ms Traynor added.

“She was using a bag of heroin a day and Gardai feel she will be dead in a very short period of time if she does not get help,” Mr Traynor said at the time.She asked Judge Keane to adjourn sentence to give Howlett a chance to link in with the support services and see if she would engage with the probation service and get more help for her addiction.

Judge Keane adjourned the matter to this week’s court for a probation report.

Reading the report in court this week, Judge Mary Fahy observed Howlett needed to be stable before she could receive help.

Mr Traynor said her client realised she would be getting a custodial sentence and she had come to court with her bags packed.

The most important thing, she said, would be that her client get into a residential treatment centre straight from prison.

“She’s a addict and she’s aware she needs help. She is desperate at this stage to get into treatment,” Ms Traynor added.

Judge Fahy sentenced Howlett to seven months in prison for the heroin drug dealing charge and imposed a concurrent one-month sentence for possession of the drug.

She imposed a consecutive five-month sentence for selling heroin to a undercover Garda, but suspended it for two years on condition Howlett attend a residential treatment centre direct from Dochas, the women’s prison, and remain there until the treatment programme was completed.

She is also to link in with the probation service within 48 hours of her release and be of good behaviour.

A one-month consecutive sentence was imposed for the theft of clothing from Next, because the offence occurred while Howlett was out on bail.

Judge Fahy imposed a concurrent three-month sentence on her for driving without insurance and disqualified her from driving for four years.

One-month concurrent sentences were imposed for the remaining charges.