Jury convicts three in €440m cocaine trial
The three Englishmen who were on trial in the biggest drugs crime in the history of the State were all convicted by a jury today after a day and a half of deliberations.
Joseph Daly of 9 Carisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent, showed no visible reaction.
Perry Wharrie, aged 48, of 60 Pryles Lane, Essex, England, shook his head in disbelief and looked towards the jury.
While Martin Wanden, aged 45, who is also English but of no fixed abode, did not react at the time, he smiled as he leaned over to discuss the outcome with his solicitor when the judge and jury had gone.
All three now face sentencing for possession of cocaine, having it for sale or supply and possession for sale or supply when its street value exceeded €13,000 on July 2, at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, Co Cork. That latter charge carries up to life imprisonment. Judge Ó Donnabháin will sentence them tomorrow at 11.30am.
At 3.08pm in Courtroom 2 in Cork Circuit Criminal Court today, there was a knock from inside the door of the jury room.
The 42-day trial then ended when registrar, Richard O’Connor, asked the foreman of the jury if they had reached verdicts on which they could all agree.
The jury of eleven had found Joseph Daly of 9 Carisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent, Perry Wharrie, aged 48, of 60 Pryles Lane, Essex, England, and Martin Wanden, aged 45, who is also English but has no fixed abode guilty on all counts related to the possession of cocaine at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, Co Cork.
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin told the jury they had done sterling work above and beyond the call of duty and excused them from further jury service for life.
Mr Justice Ó Donnabháin said: "One of the barristers said it was very much a bits and pieces case. I agree with that, whole strands of evidence being brought to court.
"Your (the jury’s) attention to detail was phenomenal,” the judge said, adding that the absence of any expenses or recompense for jurors who devoted a huge amount of time to cases was Dickensian.
He also told the jury that they could return to court tomorrow if they wished to be present for the sentencing of the three men.
Gerard Hagan, aged 23, from 85 Hollow Croft, Liverpool, the man who scrambled out of the water of Dunlough Bay on July 2, 2007, and up the cliff to raise the alarm, pleaded guilty to his part in the importation of drugs before the trial began and will be sentenced later.
The jury could not be told this fact in case it affected their attitude to the case.
There was a ban on publishing news of Hagan’s guilty plea until now.
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