Prison for man who swallowed heroin when Garda approached

Henrik Semasko (38), of no fixed abode, appeared in custody before Galway District Court where he pleaded guilty to obstructing Garda Orla Flatley on February 19 last, at Terryland during the course of a drugs search, in that he placed a number of items in his mouth which were suspected to be heroin and began to chew and swallow them.

Garda Flatley saw the accused acting suspiciously. She suspected he had drugs and she told him she wanted to carry out a drugs search.

Semasko immediately put what Garda Flatly believed to be bags of heroin into his mouth. He refused to open his mouth and swallowed the heroin.

Defence solicitor, Brian Gilmartin, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had only been in the country three to four weeks and, like many before him from Lithuania, he had been offered employment here but when he arrived he found himself in a very precarious position.

“He was given a phone and given drugs and told to sell them but was picked up quite quickly (by the Gardaí),” Mr Gilmartin said.

Judge Mary Fahy said the accused was one of a group of offenders before the court for selling heroin which is a very serious drug.

“Groups are being brought in from other counties to sell heroin but this is a 38-year-old man who came to Galway with no means and no ties.

“He is a mature man and the court is expected to believe he was trafficked to this country?” Judge Fahy asked shaking her head.

She sentenced the accused to four months in prison for obstructing Garda Flatley and backdated the sentence to February 20, when Semasko first went into custody.