Three Englishmen arrested following a €107 million drugs seizure by Customs officials and gardaí off the west Cork coast in the summer, have been returned for trial at the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court later this month.
Gerard Hagan (23), from Hollowcroft, Liverpool, Merseyside; Martin Wanden (44), of no fixed abode; and Joe Daly (40), from Carrisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent are all charged with three drug offences at Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, Co Cork on July 2nd last.
All three men are charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply at Dunlough Bay.
Yesterday at Clonakilty District Court, Det Sgt Fergal Foley testified to serving books of evidence on all three accused. Supt Pat Maher said that the DPP had directed that all three be sent forward for trial to Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge James McNulty granted the application and returned all three men for trial on October 31st. There was no application for bail by any of the men and he remanded all three in continuing custody.
Earlier, Judge McNulty had been given a letter from a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison confirming that a fourth accused, Perry Wharrie (47), had been examined by a GP at the prison yesterday morning and deemed too ill to attend court.
Judge McNulty said that he accepted that Mr Wharrie, who is from Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex, was too ill to attend court and he remanded him in continuing custody to appear again at Skibbereen District Court next Tuesday.
Mr Wharrie is facing the same three charges as his three co-accused.
