THREE ENGLISHMEN convicted of the biggest-ever drugs shipment in the history of the State have appealed their convictions and sentences, which totalled 85 years and included two record sentences of 30 years.
Martin Wanden (45), Perry Wharrie (49) and Joe Daly (41) lodged appeals with the Court of Criminal Appeal against their convictions and sentences for possessing €440 million worth of cocaine for sale or supply at Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, on July 2nd, 2007.
Wanden, no fixed abode, and Wharrie, Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex, were both jailed for 30 years. Daly, Carrisbrook Ave, Bexley, Kent, was sentenced to 25 years by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin last month for their parts in the bungled smuggling of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine.
When sentencing the three at Cork Circuit Criminal Court last month, Judge Ó Donnabháin said: "I think these three defendants are committed and dedicated to this criminal activity. None of them suffer from any addiction. Let's face it, they are in it for the money. They are prepared to deal in drugs, to deal in death and destruction for profit . . . that is what they were in it for."
He was highly critical of the evidence given by Daly and Wanden, in which they sought to portray themselves as innocent of any involvement in the smuggling which went awry when a gang member put diesel in the petrol engines of their boat.
The jury returned unanimous verdicts in respect of all three.
A fourth gang member, Gerard Hagan (24), Hollowcroft, Liverpool, had already pleaded guilty at the start of the trial and was remanded in custody by Judge Ó Donnabháin for sentencing on November 4th. The UK authorities have applied to have Wharrie extradited to the UK, where he was released on licence from a life sentence for the murder of an off-duty police officer in 1989.