Judge's prison warning to young Offaly man seeking addiction treatment

‘I’ll give him direction’: Tullamore drug offender must provide clear urine tests before he comes to local District Court again

Published 28th May 2026, 20:00 BST Judge's warning at Tullamore District Court | Tribune Pictures ‘I’ll give him direction’: Tullamore drug offender must provide clear urine tests before he comes to local District Court again Sign up to our Offaly Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Offaly Live within your account.

A YOUNG man who is on bail while he awaits sentencing for drugs offences was threatened with imprisonment by Judge Andrew Cody.

Defence counsel David Nugent, BL, told Tullamore District Court that his client David Daly (21), Cloncollig, Tullamore, was a young man who would get clean from drugs and needed direction.

“I'll give him direction – east towards the North Circular Road,” responded Judge Cody, indicating the location of Mountjoy Prison.

In January Mr Daly appeared before Judge Cody and pleaded guilty to possessing three different types of drugs in Cloncollig on October 1 last year.

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The court was told the man was engaging with the probation service and was prepared to undergo analysis of his urine.

Mr Daly had previous convictions for affray, violent disorder, criminal damage and handing stolen property and was subject to the terms of a suspended sentence for the violent disorder offence.

Judge Cody remanded him on bail to May 27 for probation and community service reports, along with monthly urine analysis.

When he appeared on that day Mr Nugent said there was a report from the probation service but it did not “make good reading”.

The barrister also said that in the intervening period Mr Daly had been before the Circuit Court and had been released because it was his intention to go for addiction treatment at Cuan Mhuire.

Mr Nugent said his client would be going to the addiction centre once he had provided clear tests and he had already begun providing them. He asked the court to allow Mr Daly continue engaging with the probation service.

Sergeant Richard Thornton told the court Mr Daly had not come to the attention of the gardai since October last.

Judge Cody remanded the accused on bail to appear in court again on July 8, saying that he needed further clear urine tests by then, and another probation report.

“If he's not copping on to himself at that stage I'll give him some directions alright,” said the judge.

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Mr Daly was brought before the Circuit Court in April because he had not been engaging properly with the probation service.

The Circuit Court was told he had been a co-accused with three others and had been involved because he wanted to defend another male.

Dylan Kavanagh, probation officer, said Mr Daly had been released from prison in April last year and for a period had been getting on very well with the probation service and was seeking employment.

Then in September 2025 his engagement declined and he started missing appointments, Mr Kavanagh told Judge Ronan Munro.

The probation officer said the man had “relapsed” and from October 2025 to February 2026 there was no engagement with the service at all.

The court was told the man had difficulties with drugs and was effectively homeless because he was couch surfing with anti-social peers.

Mr Kavanagh said Mr Daly told him that he had a relapse with tablets and cocaine.

In his own evidence Mr Daly said he had organised an appointment with Cuan Mhuire himself and he would be going to its centre in Athy to see if he was eligible for a bed.

Mr Nugent told the court there would be a treatment programme of up to 13 weeks in Cuan Mhuire with after care.

Mr Daly said he had got the required doctor's letter and recalled that previously he “went nearly psychotic on coke”.

His difficulties started when he was released from prison. “When I got out all the drugs were in my face again,” he told Judge Munro.

Mr Daly had been prosecuted by Detective Garda Adrian Hanley and admitted possessing four trays of 14 tablets of Zopiclone, valued at €112, cocaine worth €70 and diamorphine worth €350.

Related topics: David Nugent Drugs Tullamore District Court Circuit Court Gardaí Offaly Athy Judge Andrew Cody Sign up to our Offaly Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Offaly Live within your account.