Dealer caught with drugs and cash in home fears Republican threats, court told
A man who admitted 'dealing in drugs' after £62k wrapped in cash bundles of £1k was found inside and outside his home in Derry along with class A and class B drugs fears being threatened by Republicans, a court has been told.
Londonderry Magistrates Court also heard today that the PSNI recovered quantities of cocaine, cannabis, cannabis resin and herbal cannabis during a search of Christopher Gallagher's home on Foyle Road.
A police witness said officers also seized paraphernalia — including weighing scales and a grinder — in addition to a strap list containing the names of 15 people and 25 firework rockets.
The property, where the 40-year-old defendant lives with his long-term partner and their 14-year-old son, was searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act on Thursday, April 24.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott told the court his client is a drug addict and made full admissions to possessing the drugs and to being concerned in supplying cannabis, possessing criminal property — namely £62,000, possessing cannabis with intent to supply and owning fireworks without a certificate.
The legal representative applied for anonymity on behalf of Gallagher based on the general threat posed to drug defendants by Republican paramilitaries.
"I accept there is no specific threat against him but he feels there would be a threat because of the area where he lives in that he could come to the attention of people who may harm him,' Mr MacDermott said.
'He believes there would be a risk to his life and to his family. In recent years people in this city facing these types of offences have been shot.'
The application was opposed by media representatives and the police witness told Deputy District Judge Laura Lever that "anything in relation to a threat against him has been reported by himself".
Deputy District Judge Ievers refused to grant the anonymity application.
Opposing bail the police officer told the court that during the search operation, the police found 5g of cannabis resin, 10g of cannabis, a grinder and £12,000 in the main bedroom of the house.
The witness said 1.8kg of herbal cannabis was found packed into vacuum bags in a blue bin in the garden with £50,000 in cash bundles and digital weighing scales.
The fireworks were found in the garden shed.
Police also seized two mobile phones.
The officer told the court that following his arrest the defendant said all of the drugs belonged to him and the £62,000 was for paying off drugs debts.
The witness said the amount of cash and drugs found in the house "indicate a large scale drugs operation' but that the defendant said he was holding the money for other people to clear his debts.
'He has admitted selling drugs and he said he is fearful of people coming to his property now that they have lost their money,' the officer continued.
'The defendant has 15 previous convictions for drugs offences.
"Bail is opposed because there is a concern for his safety, there is a risk that he would re-offend, he has relevant previous convictions and there is a risk to himself if these other people would come back."
Mr MacDermott argued his client had been frank and honest with the police following his arrest adding: "He is a drugs user and he got into debt with various people. Clearly, he accepts he was dealing in drugs. Alternative addresses are available to him and bail measures could be put in place to safeguard society and himself.'
But bail was refused by Deputy District Judge Ievers and the defendant was remanded into custody until May 22.
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