Ramelton mother pleads guilty to aiding drug courier

A Ramelton woman, the mother of a five-month old baby, has appeared in court to plead guilty to her part in a €70,000 drugs cargo found in her car.

Tanya Van Coller was before Letterkenny Circuit Court.

The 34-year-old, with an address at Rough Park, Ramelton, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the commission of an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Van Coller spoke only to plead guilty during the short hearing before Judge John Aylmer at Letterkenny courthouse.

Van Coller pleaded guilty to allowing someone to travel in her car who was in possession of a controlled drug.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) accepted a plea to the count while a nolle prosequis - a decision not to proceed with the prosecution – was issued in respect of other charges.

A barrister for Van Coller told the court that his client has been on bail since August 2022 when she was released from a period of detention.

The barrister asked that the matter be adjourned until October and sought a probation and welfare report.

The barrister said that Van Coller had indicated early that she was willing to plead to this charge. He said his client had a young child, a five-month-old.

Judge Aylmer granted the preparation of a probation and welfare report and Van Coller was remanded on bail on the same terms.

During the same sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court, a co-accused, Amin Rhamahi, with an address at Hatfield Road, London, was jailed for three years with the balance of the sentence suspended from Wednesday last, April 24, for the possession of a controlled drug, namely cocaine, with the intention to sell or supply to others.

On August 26, 2022, during a garda operation, detectives stopped a vehicle in which the pair were travelling at Listillion, Letterkenny.

The vehicle was searched and a quantity of €70,308 worth of cocaine was located.