Judge praises labrador in drug-smuggling case

THE role played by a seven-year- old black labrador in a drugs swoop at Shannon Airport last August was yesterday praised by a circuit court judge.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Donagh McDonagh praised the role played by Customs sniffer dog, Shadow, in detecting cannabis that was contained in a black sports bag on a Ryanair flight from Malaga.

The court heard that prior to Shadow identifying the drugs, Martin Birtwistle, 53, had managed to evade Garda and Customs officials in smuggling drugs on four previous occasions at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports during the previous 12 months.

In sentencing British national Birtwistle to a three-year jail term and suspending the sentence, Judge McDonagh said: “Credit on all fronts to Customs, starting with Shadow, and credit to the Gardaí.”

The judge noted the drugs were detected arising from “Shadow doing what Shadow is well capable of doing and doing most efficiently”.

Counsel for the state, Stephen Coughlan, said on August 15, “Shadow become concerned about a black sports bag” on board a flight from Malaga. A search of the bag found cannabis with a street value of €10,862 and Birtwistle was arrested.

Mr Coughlan said Birtwistle, in interview with gardaí, confirmed he was en route to friends living near Dunmanway in Cork and had smuggled drugs into Ireland on four previous occasions in the 12 months prior to being arrested.

The accused told gardaí he purchased 1kg of cannabis in Spain, where he lived, for €2,500 on credit and was looking to sell it in west Cork for €5,000.

Counsel for Birtwistle, Pat Whyms, said Birtwistle lived in a hippie commune near Granada in Spain prior to his arrest and was living on €50 a week by playing music and doing some Djing.

He said: “Mr Birtwistle lives in a Mercedes van but can’t afford to use it as a van. He had debts to friends and he gave in to temptation in an act of economic desperation by bringing the drugs into Ireland.”

Judge McDonagh handed down a three-year jail sentence, which he suspended on the understanding that Birtwistle would stay out of Ireland for 10 years.