A PROMISING young sports man swapped soccer for dope-dealing and ended up being caught by detectives, a court has heard.
Sean McLaughlin, whose address was given as 41 Ard na Glaise, Kilmacrennan, got hooked on drugs at school, solicitor Kieran Dillon told Letterkenny District Court.
The 23-year-old was caught running a cannabis dealing business from premises at 2 Ardglass, Long Lane, Letterkenny after a Garda raid on April 13 last year.
Drugs unit officers found €300 worth of cannabis, cash, weighing scales and a ‘tick list’ indicating that he’d recently had €3,000 worth of sales.
He was charged with possession of and the dealing of drugs.
“He is relieved it has all come out because his life was being wasted in the mire of this activity,” said Mr Dillon.
“He started using drugs at school where he was a great sportsman, a very good soccer player, and he lost it all through using cannabis. He entered a nocturnal world.
“He used this stuff, passed it on to friends and whilst he had a tick list it wasn’t a very successful business,” said the solicitor.
Mr Dillon said however that McLaughlin’s arrest was the catalyst to a change in his life.
He was an excellent cook who had applied to join the tourism college.
He was also back playing football, raising funds for charity and now leading a normal life again.
“He has become himself again,” said Mr Dillon.
Judge Paul Kelly agreed that a probation report was needed and adjourned sentence until September 18.