katie french, kieron ducie, drug dealers, navan gardai, ann corcoran, ducie sentenced, trim court

katie french, kieron ducie, drug dealers, navan gardai, ann corcoran, ducie sentenced, trim court

Kieron 'Pig face' Ducie

Two people charged as a result of the death of model Katy French have been given suspended prison sentences at Trim Circuit Criminal Court.

Kieron Ducie, 43, of Lambertstown Manor, Kilmessan, Co Meath and Ann Corcoran, 32, of Tolka Road, Clonliffe Road, Dublin, both pleaded guilty to a single charge.

They admitted that between 6pm on 1 December 2007 and 10am on 2 December they procured a person to supply cocaine for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying to another.

The State did not proceed with a second charge which alleged they sought to supply cocaine to Ms French and failed to get her medical assistance in a timely fashion.

Judge Michael O'Shea described the death of Ms French as a terrible tragedy.

He sentenced Ducie to two and a half years imprisonment, suspended for three years.

He sentenced Corcoran to two years in prison but suspended it for two years.

Superintendent Michael Devine said Ms French had contacted Ducie to arrange the supply of cocaine for her.

She met the supplier at a petrol station and paid him €200 for the drugs.

She then went to the house in Kilmessan, which Ducie and Corcoran shared.

Ducie was in Dublin that night and did not return until around 6.30am the following morning.

The court heard Corcoran and Ms French were still up and he joined them for a short while.

The Superintendent said Ducie told gardaí that they put Ms French to bed at about 8am that morning.

A short time later they heard a noise downstairs. They went down and found Ms French lying on the floor.

An emergency call was made two hours later.

Ms French was subsequently brought to Our Lady's Hospital in Navan by Ducie.

She died there some days later.

Judge O'Shea heard that both the defendants were deeply upset at the passing of Ms French.

Their counsel told the court that both had extremely strong work ethics and they had been the focus of much media attention.

Speaking afterwards, the family of Ms French said they still miss her very much and said many questions are still unanswered about her death.

Her mother Janet thanked gardaí and the Director of Prosecutions for their work.

But she has said she and her family are dismayed that they were not permitted to deliver a victim impact statement in court.