‘Man with a van’ caught with €350,000 cannabis haul

Fiona Ferguson and Sonya McLean

A Co Wexford based “man with a van” who advertised himself as available to do jobs as a way out of debt has been jailed after he was caught with boxes containing €350,000 of cannabis.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Paul O’Leary’s role was simply as a courier and he had no wider involvement.

His lawyers submitted that as “a man with a van” without a criminal history and who was amenable to making money he had put a “red flag” on himself making him attractive to others after advertising his delivery service on the internet.

O’Leary (51), of Follyhouse Lane, New Ross, Co Wexford, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin on April 24th, 2017.

Jail sentence

Today Judge Melanie Greally sentenced O’Leary to five years with the final two years suspended on strict conditions including that he engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon his release from…