Man loses appeal against ten-year sentence in drug case
A Dublin man has lost his appeal against the severity of a ten-year jail term handed down to him for his role in a multi-million euro drugs operation.
The Court of Criminal Appeal today dismissed an appeal by Vincent Concannon (aged 40) of Fairlawn Park, Finglas, finding that the serious nature of the offence committed, outweighed any failure on behalf of the sentencing judge to make reference to the man’s lack of previous convictions.
Concannon, a father of three and grandfather, was jailed for ten years by the Dublin Circuit Court, after he pleaded guilty to the possession of €2m worth of cocaine for sale or supply at a house in Lucan May 13, 2004.
He was arrested after leaving the house and giving a back-pack containing cocaine valued €350,000 to a man in a car. A further stash of cocaine valued €1.6m was then found in the bedroom and attic of the house.
Mr Sean Gillane SC, for Concannon, argued before the three-judge appeal court today, there was an error in principle that his client’s “clean record” was not considered "exceptional".
The court was told that the 40-year-old was “undoubtedly a vital cog” in the drugs operation but had “not the brains” behind it.
The DDP opposed the application.
The CCA with Mr Justice Nial Fennelly, Mr Justice Daniel Herbert and Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, said it was “true and regrettable” that the sentencing judge had made no reference to the man’s lack of previous convictions.
But it said the “overwhelming characteristic” of the case was its “extreme seriousness”, given the “enormous” amount of drugs involved.
The appeal against severity of sentence was dismissed, and the ten-year term was affirmed by the court.
