THREE ENGLISHMEN involved in a €440 million cocaine smuggling operation off the west Cork coast have been remanded in custody for sentencing today after they were each convicted of three drugs offences by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Martin Wanden (45), Perry Wharrie (48) and Joe Daly (41) showed little emotion as the unanimous guilty verdicts were returned in respect of all three by the nine men and two women of the jury.
Wanden, of no fixed abode; Wharrie, from Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex; and Daly from Carrisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent, had all denied the three charges relating to the huge cocaine seizure at Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, Goleen, on July 2nd, 2007.
They were convicted of all three charges including possessing more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply contrary to section 15a of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1999, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life.
Following yesterday's verdicts, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin thanked the jury for their dedication in trying the case over some 42 days.
He remanded the three defendants in continuing custody for sentence at 11.30am today.
During the trial, the court heard some 360 testimonies from around 300 witnesses, including dozens from west Cork who were involved in the discovery and recovery of the drugs after one man, Gerard Hagan, managed to make it ashore when a rigid inflatable boat (Rib) capsized.
Hagan (24), from Hollowcroft, Liverpool, had already pleaded guilty at the start of the trial on May 20th to possessing over €13,000 worth of drugs for sale or supply and has been remanded in custody by Judge Ó Donnabháin for sentencing on November 4th next.
The prosecution case against Joe Daly included evidence that he took a ferry to Ireland on June 15th, driving a blue 4x4 towing the Rib that was used to transport the drugs.
Evidence was heard that he was on the cliffs at Dunlough Bay on the morning the Rib sank.
The state also produced evidence that Daly left Dunlough Bay with his co-accused Perry Wharrie and went to ground for two days before they were arrested two days later, exhausted and dishevelled, near Schull, by Sgt Gerard Prendeville.
The State also produced evidence that his fingerprints were found on seating removed from the drugs Rib that was found at a rented house at Farnamanagh, as well as on a piece of paper with various logistical information connected to the drugs smuggling operation.
The State produced evidence against Wanden showing he was in the water near the drugs and that he had travelled to Ireland with the Rib on June 15th, and that a mobile phone was recovered from the Rib that was registered to an alias, Steven Witsey, that he used.
The State's case against Wharrie included evidence that he was at a cliff-top when the smuggling operation went awry and that he fled, as well as evidence that a false passport belonging to Hagan was found in a rented car used by Wharrie.