Court hears Laois woman ran upstairs to hide drugs in underwear

A PORTLAOISE woman ran upstairs and tried to discard drugs in her underwear while gardaí were conducting a search of her house.

Arising from the incident, the woman appeared before last week’s sitting of the local district court charged with possessing cocaine for her own use and with obstructing gardaí in the course of their duty.

Louise McInerney (41), Lake Drive, Kilminchy pleaded guilty to the offences that took place at her home on 16 July.

Garda Sgt Kirby said that at 7.30pm that evening while gardaí were exercising a search warrant of Ms McInerney’s house under the Misuse of the Drugs Act, she attempted to flee from them upstairs in her house and to discard drugs she had hidden in her underwear.

He said the cocaine found amounted to €80 worth.

Defence solicitor Philip Meagher said that his client admits to having a small amount of drugs in her possession when gardaí were in her home. He said she panicked and fled from the gardaí to conceal the drugs.

Mr Meagher said that Ms McInerney “had a temporary dalliance with drugs at the time but no longer uses them.” Judge Adrew Gubbins said: “The temporary dalliance, you call it, was enough to lead to a search warrant. Were there children in the house when the gardaí were in attendance?” “The children were present, downstairs,” replied Mr Meagher.

Judge Gubbins went on to convict Ms McInerney of the offence and sentenced her to three months in prison, which he suspended for two years. He also instructed the defendant to take part in the Athy Alternative Duge Awareness Programme and assigned free legal aid to Mr Meagher.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme.