*Harry Dinan.
A CONVICTED killer of a Clare school teacher has pleaded guilty to drug dealing cannabis valued in excess of €13,000.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Harry Dinan (44) of Oakwood Drive, Ennis, has pleaded guilty to having in his possession cannabis with a market value in excess of €13,000 on November 14th 2022 at Ballybeg Woods, Ennis for the purpose of selling contrary to Section 15(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977.
An offence under Section 15 (a) carries a mandatory minimum prison term of ten years but a judge has the discretion to impose a lesser sentence in certain circumstances and only a very small portion of those convicted of Section 15 (a) drug dealing offences do receive the ten years in prison in the criminal courts.
In November 2015, Mr Dinan was released from prison after spending six years in jail for the manslaughter of Lissycasey school teacher, Brian Casey.
On the 26th of December 2009, Mr Casey (26) died after being victim to what Mr Justice Liam McKechnie described previously as an “utterly unprovoked, cowardly, brutal and grossly violent” assault by Harry Dinan then aged 29 and his nephew, Kevin Dinan on the man.
Mr Justice McKechnie said that Mr Casey was a “totally innocent’’ bystander in the unprovoked assault and was caught off guard by a severe ‘haymaker’ punch inflicted by Harry Dinan.
Previously in relation to another drugs offence after Mr Dinan’s release from prison, Gardaí came across €3,550 worth of cannabis at Mr Dinan’s former home at Waterpark Heights, Ennis on January 29th 2018.
At Ennis Circuit Court in 2019, Judge Gerald Keys reduced the eight month term on Mr Dinan for the drugs offence to six months in jail on appeal.
In relation to the new drug dealing offence, Judge Francis Comerford remanded Mr Dinan on continuing bail to May 28th for sentence.
When the case was before the court last month, the case could not be dealt after Judge Comerford was told that Mr Dinan was looking for a new legal team.
However, his counsel, Patrick Whyms (BL) instructed by solicitor, Tara Godfrey has now said that Mr Dinan has revoked that position about changing his legal presentation and “and he apologies for the disruption that was caused due to last minute panic”.
Mr Dinan told the judge “I want to apologise to the court for the last day”.
