AN unemployed father-of-10 turned to dealing crack cocaine in Dublin out of “sheer desperation” to get money, a court heard.

Samuel Dibor (41) had no drug habit at all and no criminal record when he travelled to the capital from his home in Kerry to sell crack from his car.

Dublin District Court was told he tried to swallow some of it when gardai caught him.

Dibor, of Shanakill, Tralee, Co Kerry pleaded guilty to possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply at Drumcondra Road Lower on August 30 last.

Judge Anthony Halpin fined him €200.

The court heard gardai were on duty when they saw the accused’s vehicle pull over and a suspected drugs transaction take place.

A known drug user exited the accused’s car and he continued driving. He was stopped a short time later by the gardai who approached and identified themselves.

The investigating garda saw several suspect packages and told the defendant to get out of the vehicle.

The accused spat out five packages from his mouth but more remained and he tried to swallow them. The total value of drugs seized was €1,000.

Dibor had no previous convictions of any kind.

The court heard some of the accused’s children were living in Nigeria and some in Ireland. He was a carer for his Irish wife who suffered from serious back problems, for which she was undergoing surgery.

The accused did not take drugs at all himself and committed the offence out of “sheer desperation,” his solicitor David Stafford said.

Judge Halpin remarked that the packages could have burst as he swallowed them.

“It was incredibly foolish and incredibly silly,” Mr Stafford said.

Dibor’s crime had been “very much on the margins” and he was not somebody who would come before the court again, he added.

“He has enough on his plate caring for his wife who is seriously ill,” Judge Halpin said.

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