Cork man jailed over drugs found in car after no motor tax led to search 

Failing to have up-to-date motor tax had serious consequences for a motorist in Fermoy as gardaí went on to discover a large stash of cocaine in a hidden compartment in the boot.

At Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Kevin Kenneally, of Beechfield Estate, Fermoy, county Cork, has been jailed for 12 months for having the drugs valued €8,650 for sale or supply.

Detective Garda Bryan Murphy said that at lunchtime on May 24, 2023, at Pearse Square, Fermoy, County Cork, he checked on a grey Mazda and discovered that the tax was out.

This prompted him to stop the car and he immediately noticed that the driver — Kevin Kenneally — was acting in a nervous manner.

White powder in a baggie was found in the car.

In a follow-up search of the boot a hidden compartment was found to contain a larger quantity of cocaine. The concealed cocaine in the boot was found with two mobile phones.

“He was interviewed at Mitchelstown garda station but he later fled the country,” the detective said.

He returned to Ireland earlier this year at a time when gardaí were in the process of applying for a European arrest warrant with a view to arresting him in Spain.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a sentence of two years with the second year suspended, noting that the accused had been previously convicted for having drugs for sale or supply, where he was given a fully suspended sentence.

Defence barrister Brian Leahy said of the accused: “He said he owed a large amount of money to drug-dealers in Dublin. He presented himself and pleaded guilty, saving the state the time and expense of prosecuting the case. He had a problem with addiction to cocaine at the time.

“Two employers have been in touch with his solicitor to say that work is available for him on his release and this is from people who know his history. He has been in custody since March 14.”

Judge Helen Boyle said that in of the gravity of the offence his car was searched and that as well as the quantity of cocaine there were two mobile phones.

“The aggravating factor is that you had two previous drug-dealing convictions according to the state. You dispute that there was a second such conviction. Even giving you the benefit of the doubt that there was only one dealing conviction it was still one too many,” the judge said.

The sentence was backdated to March when he went into custody.