BREAKING: Prison officer charged with drugs offenses at a special court in Limerick

A prison officer was charged with drug offenses at a special sitting of Newcastle West District Court on Saturday evening.

Garda Laura Lyons gave evidence of the suspect’s arrest on Childers Road in Limerick city on Thursday afternoon.

Garda Lyons said the male prison officer was charged in the cells area of ​​a garda station at 9.40pm on Friday evening.

“He did not respond to the allegations,” Garda Lyons said.

The prison officer is charged with possession of a controlled drug, suspected to be cannabis, under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and possession of drugs, including cannabis, for sale and supply under section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Inspector Padraigh Sutton, prosecuting on behalf of the state, said there was no objection to bail subject to a number of conditions.

Insp Sutton made a request to Judge Carol Anne Coolican that the address of the suspect – Pat Hurley, aged 38 – not be published by the media as “he is a prison officer”.

Insp Sutton has further requested that the media not mention the name of the Garda station where Mr Hurley is required to report three times a week.

Judge Coolican granted these requests.

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Inspector Sutton said gardai were in possession of Mr Hurley’s passport. The other bail conditions are that Mr Hurley resides at the address given to gardai and is sober in public.

Mr Hurley, who wore a red hoodie and navy blue trousers, was represented by John Herbert, solicitor, during the brief procedural matter.

Judge Coolican released Mr Hurley on bail on his own bond of €100. The judge adjourned the case until December at the Limerick District Court in Mulgrave Street in the city.