Prosecution case closes as cocaine trial nears end

THE jury in the biggest drugs trial in the history of the State will commence their seventh week at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Monday knowing the end of the case is looming.

The prosecution has closed its case and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin has told the jury: “The bulk of the journey is behind us.

“The prosecution case is finished. The defendants may or may not give evidence, I don’t know. They do not have to.

“Thereafter the barristers will close the case: ‘You heard this so this is what it means’. The other barristers will say this is what the case means from my perspective.

“When they are finished I will tell you what the law is and synopsise the evidence,” Judge Ó Donnabháin said.

Legal argument in the absence of the jury went on yesterday and the jury has been told to return at 10.30am on Monday.

It is anticipated that it will be a week or possibly longer before the jury retires to their jury room to deliberate on their verdicts in the case.

The issues they have to decide are whether the accused men are guilty or not guilty of the charges against them. Each defendant is accused of possessing cocaine, possessing it with intent to sell or supply, and having it for sale or supply when its street value exceeded €13,000 on July 2 at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, Co Cork.

The jury has been told that the cocaine found in the waters of Dunlough Bay had a street value of €440m.

Perry Wharrie, aged 48, of 60 Pryles Lane, Essex, England; Joseph Daly, aged 41, from 9 Carisbrook Avenue, Bexley, Kent; and Martin Wanden, aged 45, who is also English but has no fixed abode, all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them at Cork Circuit Criminal Court when the jury was sworn in to hear the trial back on May 21.