€120,000 cannabis ‘sting’ in Kilkenny - Man, woman jailed

Three Kilkenny people have been convicted of drug offences following a garda ‘sting’ operation involving a ‘controlled delivery’ by post of €120,000 of cannabis to a local home.

Prison sentences were handed down to all three defendants by Judge Cormac Quinn, at Kilkenny Circuit Court, last week.
Damian Delaney, 2 Jordan House, Castlecomer Road, Louise Delaney, of the same address, and Andrea O’Regan, 64 Newpark Close, were all charged with the same three offences — illegal possession of drugs, having drugs for sale or supply and having drugs valued over €13,000 for sale or supply.

The charges related to events on September 13, 2024, at 2 Jordan House.

Damian and Louise Delaney, who are aunt and nephew, pleaded guilty to the charges. Ms O’Regan was convicted by a jury following a trial.

The court was told gardaí received information customs had intercepted a package that was addressed to Ms Delaney at Jordan House. Members of the Garda National Drugs Unit and local gardaí organised a controlled delivery of the package on September 13, 2024.

Ms Delaney accepted delivery of the package which gardaí already knew contained cannabis herb.
instructed

Gardaí arrived soon after and Ms Delaney told them she had been instructed to accept the package and showed them the message on her phone.

Gardaí saw other relevant messages from Ms O’Reilly on the phone.

A short time later Mr Delaney and Ms O’Regan arrived at the scene. Both were arrested.

Electronic analysis of phones seized revealed a series of messages between Ms Delaney and Ms O’Regan in relation to accepting the delivery.

In interview, Ms O’Regan denied she was involved and said Mr Delaney had used her phone without her knowledge.

A number of the messages were read out in court, showing Ms Delaney asking for her payment, Ms O’Regan asking for the package reference number and saying the other woman would be paid ‘once she got the package, as usual.’
The payment referred to was €25 that Ms Delaney wanted to buy food in Aldi.

A voice message was also sent to Ms Delaney, identified in court as Mr Delaney.

The package seized by gardaí contained 35 packets of cannabis herb, the court was told. It was analysed by Forensic Science Ireland and valued ‘just short’ of €120,000.
The label on the package showed it had been sent from Bangkok and declared as “fashion shirts.”

Garda evidence was that there were ‘possibly other people’ higher up in the drug importation but Mr Delaney was “in control of logistics” of this package.
There was no evidence he was to profit from the street sale of the cannabis.
Mr Delaney was described in court as a “middle tier operator.”

Ms O’Regan assisted Mr Delaney by contacting Ms Delaney. There was no other evidence in relation to her involvement.
The court heard all three defendants had previous convictions.

Damien Delaney had 89 previous convictions, including seven for the sale or supply of drugs and four for assault causing harm.

Ms O’Regan had 41 previous convictions, two of which were related to the sale or supply of drugs.

Ms Delaney had 22 previous convictions. These were for theft and road traffic offences.

Mitigation was given in court for each of the defendants by their legal representatives.
Mr Delaney struggled with drink and drugs for his adult life but this is something he is now addressing, in prison. Delaney also had a long history of alcohol abuse.
They both entered early guilty pleas.

Ms O’Regan has two children and had told gardaí she had an OnlyFans page as it was the only way she had to support them. She has ‘enhanced’ status in Dóchas women's prison and is engaging well with the services.

Judge Quinn said aggravating factors in the case were the amount of drugs involved and the harm caused to society by drugs.
He noted they all now seemed to be doing better and engaging with services.

Louise Delaney was convicted of having drugs for sale or supply and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended for 18 months.

Andrea O’Regan was handed down a sentence of six years, with the final two years suspended for two years, on the charge of having drugs valued over €13,000 for sale or supply. The sentence was backdated to when she went into custody on July 23 last.

Damian Delaney was sentenced to six years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for two years.
All the suspended sentence portions were suspended on conditions including that they keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

Judge Quinn issued a forfeiture and destruction order for the drugs seized and any associated items.