Manslaughter accused had drugs and phone at Limerick Prison

A LITHUANIAN nurse who is accused of killing her mother on Christmas Eve has been convicted of possession a cocktail of drugs for sale or supply, and a mobile phone in the shape of a BMW car key at Limerick Prison.

Greta Dudko, 36, with an address at Clonsilla in Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, cannabis resin and cannabis herb, valued at over €234 in Limerick Prison on October 9, 2012, and possession of the mobile phone, which was found in her cell following a search.

She was charged by Garda David Boland with possession of heroin worth €12.30, possession of cannabis worth €50.36, and possession of cannabis resin for €172.27, all of which were wrapped in cling film.

At a trial last summer, Dudko pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to the manslaughter of Anna Butautiene, her 55 year-old mother, on December 24, 2010.

She said she had no intention of killing her, but just wanted “to shut her up”.

The trial failed to reach a verdict, and a retrial is due in the autumn, Limerick District Court has heard.

Her defence said she didn’t admit to supplying the drugs in the Mulgrave Street jail, but admitted possession of a mobile phone, which she claimed was brought into prison “to facilitate a person who was threatening and bullying her”.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly heard that Dudko came to Ireland in 2002 as a qualified nurse, and has a seven year-old Irish son, who is an Irish citizen. Her defence said that during the past 33 months she has been incarcerated she has spent her time undergoing a number of diploma courses, and “has never been in any trouble”.

The court heard she also provides translations for the prison Governor, and is now in Dochas prison.

Inspector Dermot O’Connor, Henry Street garda station, said that she didn’t make a complaint about who was threatening her, as “she didn’t want to name names and is in fear for her family”.

Judge O’Kelly said the “ability of people to get access to drugs in prison is a widespread problem”. The possession of the mobile phone, which he said was “a very realistic imitation of a car key”, also “comprises the integrity of prison security.”

She was sentenced to five months in prison for the possession of heroin for sale or supply, which has been backdated to October 22, 2013, when she entered custody on this offence. She was sentenced to four months in prison for possession of the mobile phone, which was also backdated to the same date.