A former radio broadcaster in Cork has been has been jailed for eight years after he was found in possession of 270,000 euro worth of drugs for sale and supply.
52-year-old Pearse McCarthy of Red Abbey Court on Margaret Street in the city had pleaded guilty to the possession of cannabis, cocaine and MDMA for sale or supply in October 2017.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that members of the Cork West Divisional Drug Unit searched a property in Kinsale on the 27th October 2017.
There they found 2.2 kilos of cocaine, 2.8 kilos of cannabis and 950g of MDMA, with a total street value of 270,000 euro.
52-year-old Pearse McCarthy of Red Abbey Court on Margaret Street in the city centre was arrested in connection with the discovery on the 18th of August 2021.
Det Garda Colin O’Mahony said McCarthy was responsible, with three other people, for distributing the drugs - and used burn phones to conceal his behaviour.
Defence barrister Jane Hyland said he had spent two and a half years in Coolmine Treatment Centre in the 90s for his drug addiction, and had gone on to counsel others for many years.
She said McCarthy relapsed later in life following the sudden death of his partner, and began dealing to pay off a drug debt.
Judge Helen Boyle said that his culpability is relatively high with people reporting to him and he reporting to the bosses.
However, she said was able to depart from the mandatory ten year sentence, because of McCarthy's guilty plea and his full cooperation with Gardaí.
She jailed him for nine years suspending the last year of the sentence.
