Dad was 'minding' 200 valium for his pal

Andrew Phelan

A DUBLIN man who "naively" kept 200 valium tablets at his home for an old acquaintance ended up being prosecuted on a drug supply charge.

James Webb (33) had no criminal record when he turned a blind eye to the tablets and kept them in his house.

A judge told him he would leave him without a conviction if he made a €500 charity donation.

Webb, with an address at Corkagh View, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of diazepam with intent to supply.

Blanchardstown District Court heard gardai searched the defendant's home on January 25.

They found 200 valium tablets with a value of between €2,000 and €4,000.

Webb was not there at the time, but took responsibility for the tablets and made full admissions to the gardai.

He had no previous convictions of any kind.

He had "naively agreed" to hold the tablets for a man who was an old acquaintance, his solicitor, Matthew Kenny, explained.

"He is a hard-working man who hasn't come to garda attention before or since," Mr Kenny said, "but some people he would have known and who would know him are involved in criminality."

The accused "turned a blind eye" to what he was being asked to hold. He worked in a job "caring for others".

difficulties

He could lose his employment if a conviction was imposed, Mr Kenny said.

Webb has a wife and two children and the family was in financial difficulties of their own, as their property was in negative equity.

Judge John Lindsay remanded Webb on continuing bail to October 11 and said he would leave him without a conviction if he made a €500 donation to Blanchardstown Hospice.

aphelan@herald.ie