A CASTLEISLAND man who purchased illegal performance-enhancing drugs for his greyhounds over the internet claimed in court that he bought them to 'keep them healthy' and to 'make them feel good.'

Dan O'Sullivan of 33 St Stephen's Park, Castleisland, purchased four different types of illegal drugs from Australia at a cost of €500, which comprised anabolic steroids, performance enhancers and drugs to reduce pain, Castleisland District Court heard.

Department of Agriculture officer Noel Kelly detailed how, on January 8, 2008, he was contacted by customs to say they had come across a parcel containing animal remedies, addressed to a Fr Dan O'Sullivan of 33 St Stephen's Park, Castleisland. Defence solicitor Pat Mann interrupted to tell the court that while his client is certainly a religious man, he is not a man of the cloth.

On examining the parcel, Mr Kelly found four different types of prohibited drugs — injections of Stanazol, L Carnitine, Vitamin C and Mitachondral — which he told the court are not licensed in Ireland.

He said that on January 30 of that year he and a colleague arranged for the parcel to be delivered by post to Mr O'Sullivan's house but it was returned to the post office because no one was at home. Mr Kelly and his colleague later observed Mr O'Sullivan ( 55) collect the parcel at the local post office, after which they identified themselves to the defendant and explained the situation.

Dept of Agriculture veterinary surgeon Caroline Garvey outlined in court what each drug was typically used for, describing both the L Carnitine and Vitamin C injections as performance enhancers used in racing animals. She said that the Stanazol injection is an anabolic steroid that is never dispensed by vets, and told the court that the Mitachondral injection has ' opium like' characteristics which reduce the sensation of pain in an animal, which will help them continue to perform even when injured.

While Mr O'Sullivan claimed that he now only has one dog, Ms Garvey said that the quantity ordered online would have been enough to treat 10 to 15 animals.

Defence solicitor Pat Mann said Mr O'Sullivan's sole interest in life was in keeping greyhounds and that having researched the animals online and in magazines he discovered that the drugs were freely available in other countries.

He said that when asked by the department officers why he had ordered the injections, Mr O'Sullivan said that he believed the drugs would 'keep them healthy.. keep the blood okay.. make them feel good.. keep the dog in good shape.. and give them an appetite.'

"He learned the system from magazines and the internet and as a dog owner it is his sole intention to make sure the animal is adequately and solely protected in every way," Mr Mann told the court. "He saw these items on the internet and did not hide any of it when asked, and he regrets that he now finds himself in this position. He now only has one greyhound which he hopes he may be able to breed."

Judge James O'Connor convicted Mr O'Sullivan of possession of the drugs without having veterinary product authorisation and fined him €300. He was also ordered to pay costs of € 1,000, but Judge O'Connor denied the prosecution's application for €900 in witness expenses, as Mr O'Sullivan had pleaded guilty at an early stage, thus rendering the expert witnesses unnecessary.

Legal aid was granted to Mr O'Sullivan, who was warned by Judge O'Connor that if he appeared on similar charges again he would be jailed.

- COURT REPORTER