A Donegal horse-racing jockey is “in hiding” over a drug debt, a court has heard.
Oran Brown was convicted in court after being caught with over €11,000 at his home.
In 2023, the Lifford sportsman was ordered to do 240 hours of community service after Gardai raided his home and found drugs and cash.
However, an updated mention of the case at Donegal Circuit Court heard that he has been unable to undertake that part of his sentence.
Brown’s barrister, Mr Peter Nolan explained that his client has been in hiding over a drug debt.
“Oran Brown has an individual looking for him to pay a drug debt.
“He is in hiding. He can’t comply with the community service order as he is in fear of third parties,” he said.
The case was brought back before the court by the Probation Service due to Brown’s non-compliance with the order.
Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case until a future session of the court.
Previously, Brown was sentenced to a three-and-half-year term in prison, which was suspended for three and a half years, for the possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling or supplying to others.
He was also ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of 16 months in prison on a charge of the unlawful possession of cocaine.
Gardai, armed with a search warrant, swooped on Brown’s home at Collate, Lifford on June 25, 2020.
Detectives seized €8,668 worth of cannabis and cocaine with a street value of €2,504.81.
Some of the cannabis was found in deal bags. A Zopiclone tablet, valued at €2, was also located in the raid.
A grinder, weighing scales and a quantity of Ziploc bags were also found. Quantities of Diazepam and Xanax were found in a Tommy Hilfiger bag in the property while gardai observed a line of suspected cocaine on top of a dresser.
A quantity of cocaine was found inside a safe, which also contained €7,225 and £2,480 sterling in cash. Brown was searched and a cylinder containing cannabis and a grinder was located on his person.
Almost £9,000 in cash was found inside a safe and, after being arrested, Brown told Gardai he ‘smoked a lot of weed and sniffed cocaine’.
He added: “I won’t lie, I sold a few bags of weed too.”
Brown said the cash was given to him by his parents and grandparents for his birthday the month before.
He refused to give gardai the PIN for his mobile phone as he said there was ‘stuff on the phone’ that he didn’t want them to see.
Detective Garda Michelle Kelly said gardai were unable to access data from the phone as the PIN was not provided.
In court in 2023, Mr Nolan said his client, who he said was a “conditional apprentice” at the time, began taking cocaine “to keep the weight stabilised”.
“Stupidity led him to these circumstances,” Mr Nolan said.
“It was clear from all the paraphernalia found on the premises that there was a significant amount of dealing going on,” Judge Aylmer said in sentencing Brown.
“This is an unusual case where he deserves a second chance. It is with some hesitation, but it is a case that it may be dealt with better on a non-custodial basis given all of the features.
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