An inmate who attempted to internally smuggle drugs back into prison was caught after he fell asleep on the toilet while excreting them.

Eoin Daly (30) swallowed more than €8,000 worth of heroin and cocaine and smuggled it back into Cloverhill after attending his son’s communion.

Daly, who is currently in Portlaoise Prison, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing heroin for sale or supply and one count of possessing cocaine on May 10th, 2015. He will be sentenced next month.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Daly, a drug addict, was on remand in Cloverhill Prison for a burglary offence when he was granted compassionate bail to attend the communion.

Detective Garda Stephen Cullen said when Daly returned to the prison, he was placed in an observation cell. He was later found asleep on the toilet with a package between his legs. The package contained heroin with a street value of €7,350 and cocaine with a street value of €787.

“He ingested those drugs that were subsequently recovered,” Gda Cullen said. “He swallowed them and then passed them out.”

The detective garda said “serious threats” were made against Daly to bring the drugs into the prison once word got out that he had been granted compassionate leave.

Gda Cullen said Daly was asked to name who had made threats against him. “He wouldn’t name names for safety reasons,” Gda Cullen said.

Judge Patrick McCartan noted Daly had an “appalling” criminal record. He has 32 previous convictions and is currently serving a five-and-a-half year sentence for carrying out a number of burglaries. He is due to be released next April.

The judge read a letter from Daly, which indicated he was rehabilitating from drugs and wanted to change his life.

“I’m impressed with what you said in your letter,” the judge told Daly. “Your record is appalling. You’re given to violence, robbing and you go to whatever ends you can to feed your habit. You tell me you’re now drug-free. We’ll see.”

Judge McCartan said Daly was facing a “significant term of imprisonment”. However he said he would order a probation services report and drug testing before making a final decision.

The matter will return to court on July 28th.