A member of a Cork town council realised cigarettes he bought were illegal but did not report it to the Garda because he feared for his family's safety.
Cllr John Joe Kelleher of Mallow urban district council had a charge of handling stolen property dismissed at Cork Circuit Court yesterday. Judge Murphy directed the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty.
The court heard that Mr Kelleher, a shopkeeper, bought 7,000 cigarettes from a Michael O'Shea, who has since left the jurisdiction, believing them to be duty free cigarettes.
He paid £15 a carton and in a statement to gardai admitted when he took the cigarettes home he knew from the packaging they were not duty free. He did not report the matter as he feared for the safety of his family.