Ex footballer was part of drug smuggling scheme, Liverpool court is told

A FORMER League of Ireland footballer schemed to smuggle heroin from Liverpool to Dublin, it was alleged yesterday.

A FORMER League of Ireland footballer schemed to smuggle heroin from Liverpool to Dublin, it was alleged yesterday.

In the dock at Liverpool Crown Court is ex St Patrick's Athletic player, Mr Derek Dunne (29), of Alfred Byrne House, Granville Street, Dublin. He has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with his brother, Mr David Dunne, and two Liverpool men, Anthony Wilkinson and John Lavin, and others to smuggle the drug to Dublin between July 1st, 1994 land March 21st last year.

Mr James Rae, prosecuting, told the court that Wilkinson had already pleaded guilty to a similar conspiracy charge and Lavin had pleaded guilty to being concerned in the export of heroin.

"I anticipate that what you are going to be called upon to consider is not whether there was such an agreement to export heroin, but whether Derek Dunne was party to it", he said.

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Deals for the drugs to travel over to Dublin were done in telephone calls between Mr Dunne and Wilkinson, he claimed.

The telephone number for Wilkinson's home address in Lamport Street, Dingle, Liverpool, was found in Mr Dunne's telephone book, he said. And in Wilkinson's telephone book the number for Alfie Byrne House is given against the name "Derek (dad)" and the number for another address in Dublin - Portland Place - has "Derek (home)" written by it, he said.

Telephone bills reflected a conflection between the two men. They revealed a pattern of contact around the times when Wilkinson, and on the last occasion Lavin, were to travel to Dublin, and days before Mr Dunne, came to Britain and went back again, he alleged.

Wilkinson, who was living on welfare benefits, made a number of short stay ferry trips in hired cars and using a false name, said Mr Rae.

"There is a proper inference to be made and all the indications point to the fact that these journeys are highly profitable.

"The fact that there were drugs on the last occasion can lead you to conclude that Mr Wilkinson is engaged in the export of drugs to Dublin, but not that every journey relates to drugs", he claimed.

On one occasion in December 1994, Mr Dunne and his brother, David, stayed at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, flying back home the next day, he said.

Prior to the return flight, Mr David Dunne was asked to sign a embarkation card. Mr Rae, who had the jury view a video of the incident, said Mr Derek Dunne is seen to completely ignore his brother as he walks past and distances himself from him.

Wilkinson was seen to deliver Mr David Dunne to the Moat House Hotel, Liverpool, only days before his and Lavin's arrest.

He drove him there in a car he had bought for £1,600 following one of his trips to Ireland, said Mr Rae.

On March 21st Lavin was arrested at Holyhead as he was about to board a ferry to Ireland.

The spare tyre of his hired which was loaded outside Lavin's address in Menzies Toxteth, was found to £41,000 worth of heroin, Mr told the court.

That same day Wilkinson arrested at Speke Airport, Liverpool, about to board a flight to "Dublin.

He was again travelling under a false name and "a small taster" of heroin with a matching profile to that of other drugs in the case was found under the name label on his holdall.

At Wilkinson's home £8,000 worth of heroin was found in the kitchen, he said.

The case resembled a jigsaw, Mr Rae told the jury. "The parts we have got and the picture that jigsaw presents is one which shows Derek Dunne is party to an agreement to expert heroin to Ireland," he alleged.

Mr Rae told the jury that Mr David Dunne was arrested in the car park of the Swiss Cottage "public house, a mile from Dublin "Airport, on March 11th, and was in possession of £850 cash.

Mr Derek Dunne was arrested at Manchester Airport on January 5th this year upon his arrival from Dublin.

The case continues.