A SUCCESSFUL Clare businessman and father had to pay over €14,000 to former drug dealing associates of his son in order to protect his family, a court has heard.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed a 30 month prison term with the final 15 months suspended on drugs courier, Dylan Quirke (30) of Tir Eda, Tobarteascáin, Ennis after he was caught holding and transporting €98,000 of cannabis for drug dealers on May 25th 2023.
In court, Dylan Quirke’s father, Damien Quirke confirmed that he and Dylan’s mother “had to pay” over €14,000 to his son’s former drug dealing associates within weeks of his arrest and the seizure of the €98,000 worth of their drugs in 2023.
Counsel for Dylan Quirke, Patrick Whyms BL (instructed by solicitor, Daragh Hasssett) described Damien Quirke as a “successful businessman” who felt that he had to pay over €14,000 in order to protect his family.
Mr Whyms said that this was the sort of people Mr Quirke’s son Dylan was dealing with.
Damien Quirke operates a plumbing and bathroom renovations business and on the Quirkes paying over the €14,000 to the drug dealers, Judge Comerford said, “The family saw the need to pay the money to drug dealers to reduce the loss suffered by the drug dealers as a result of good policing work”.
Judge Comerford said that he knows the motivation to pay over the money “was out of fear”.
He said “I understand that families across the country have to do this – it is part of harm done by drug dealing”.
Judge Comerford said that there were significant mitigating factors in favour of Dylan Quirke “and this is a sad case in so many ways”.
Judge Comerford said that Dylan Quirke made an early plea of guilt, is a first time offender and didn’t make any commercial gain from low level drug dealing he was engaged in.
Judge Comerford said that Clare GardaÍ accept that Dylan Quirke was not regarded as a significant figure in the drugs trade.
Judge Comerford said that Dylan Quirke “had a drugs debt and did agree to transport a consignment of drugs for a value he wouldn’t have known”.
Judge Comerford said, “He transported €98,000 of cannabis from one point to another to bring to his house and hold it. This is how the people at the higher realms of drug dealing are able to insulate themselves”.
He said that “they put others under pressure to carry out these activities”.
Judge Comerford said that Dylan Quirke’s culpability is reduced as his offending arose because of drug addiction.
Judge Comerford said Dylan Quirke is not someone who is a committed member of the organisation who was totally in line with its purpose but it is still serious offending because of the amount of drugs involved.
Judge Comerford said that Dylan Quirke almost benefits from a very favourable Probation Report and has taken proactive steps to try to achieve rehabilitation.
Judge Comerford said that Dylan Quirke has strong family support which is one of the best indicators of rehabilitation.
Judge Comerford set a headline sentence of five years and reduced it to 30 months after mitigation factors are taken into account. Judge Comerford suspended the final 15 months of the 30 month prison term.
Judge Comerford said that the exceptional circumstances of the case don’t reach the threshold of suspending the 30 month sentence in full.
He said that a custodial sentence has to be served to mark the seriousness of the offending and the significant value of the drugs.
In the witness box, Damien Quirke said that over the last two and a half years, “Dylan has been a totally changed person”.
Damien Quirke said, “He has taken responsibility for what he has done and puts all his time into working with me”.
He said that the two can be working sometimes six or seven days a week.
Dylan Quirke pleaded guilty to two drug dealing offences.
He pleaded guilty to on May 25th 2023 at Tir Eda, Tobarteascáin, Ennis having unlawfully in his possession cannabis with a market value in excess of €13,000 for the purpose of selling contrary to Section 15(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Dylan Quirke also pleaded guilty to a lesser drug dealing charge concerning €2,500 of cannabis at the same location on the same date and Judge Comerford imposed a separate 15 month fully suspended prison term for that offence.
