A FORMER League of Ireland footballer has denied plotting to smuggle heroin from Liverpool to Dublin. The former St Patrick's Athletic footballer, Mr Derek Dunne (29), was giving evidence yesterday on the second day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
He denies conspiring with his brother, Mr David Dunne, and Liverpool men Anthony Wilkinson and John Lavin, and others to smuggle heroin to the Republic between July 1st, 1994, and March 21st last year.
Mr Duane told his barrister, Mr Charles Garside QC, that he played for St Patrick's Athletic at the time and also sold counterfeit clothes but had no dealings with heroin. He did not know what Wilkinson and Lavin carried and he had never met Lavin.
Mr Dunne said he did not know he was under suspicion until arrested at Manchester Airport on January 5th this year. He was not hiding while living in Liverpool.
Mr Dunne, the youngest of 10 children, was introduced to Wilkinson by an ex girlfriend and he bought counterfeit clothes from him. She did not have a telephone and contacted him via Wilkinson's phone, which was why Wilkinson's number was in his phone book.
While he was in contact with her, he came to England about twice a month. He stayed at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, with her about seven times. Wilkinson, who used a false name because he was a disqualified driver, came to see him in Ireland in mid 1994 to talk about the clothes, he said.
Mr Dunne, who has lived in Liverpool since September, 1995, said he flew to Manchester to go to Liverpool because there were more flights per day. He came to see Wilkinson around Christmas, 1994, and his brother, David, came for the trip.
He said he knew nothing about an alleged meeting between Wilkinson and his brother, David, at the Moathouse Hotel, Liverpool, in March, 1995.
Mr James Rae, prosecuting, has told the jury that Wilkinson has pleaded guilty to being involved in a conspiracy to export heroin and Lavin had pleaded guilty to attempting to export heroin.
And although Wilkinson's plea was no indication of any participation by Mr Dunne, it was the evidence against Wilkinson that would point to Mr Dunne being involved in the plot.
Contact between the two men was clustered around eight short stay ferry trips from Liverpool to Dublin involving Wilkinson, who was on welfare benefit but who nevertheless spent more than £4,000 on a car, furniture and car hi fi equipment.
Before Wilkinson's trips, Mr Dunne flew into Manchester Airport, staying at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, before flying home again, he alleged. Wilkinson was also seen to deliver Mr David Dunne to the Moat House Hotel, Liverpool, days before Wilkinson and Lavin were arrested.
On the morning of March 21st, Wilkinson was seen to drive to Lavin's address in Menzies Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, and put a plastic bag containing £41,000 worth of heroin into the back of a car hired by Lavin, he said. Lavin was arrested at Holyhead boarding the ferry to Dublin and the drugs were found concealed in a spare tyre.
Wilkinson was arrested the same day at Speke Airport, Liverpool.
The case continues.