Drug barons ‘a cancer’ on State, says judge, as two boys sentenced for drug-debt intimidation
A judge in Ireland has sentenced two minors for their involvement in a drug-debt intimidation campaign that included shootings and arson. The judge condemned drug barons for exploiting children as 'foot soldiers' in their criminal operations.
Why it matters
The case highlights the growing concern over organized crime groups recruiting minors to carry out violent acts, posing a significant challenge to law enforcement and social services.
The president of the Circuit Court has branded drug barons using children as foot soldiers as being “like a cancer”, saying “all State resources should be used to catch and lock them up”.
Judge Keenan Johnson’s comments came in the case of two boys involved in a drug-debt intimidation shooting at a house in Mullingar, Co Westmeath .
One of the pair also carried out attacks on houses, torched four cars and carried out a drug-debt intimidation campaign across three midlands counties. He was given a six-year suspended sentence.
That youth, now 17, and a second boy, the same age, pleaded guilty to recklessly discharging the home-made “slammer” shotgun at about 1.30pm on July 14th at Ardleigh Park in the Co Westmeath town.
The teenager who fired the gun admitted a further charge of criminal damage to the door of the house.
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