Woman confesses to carrying drugs through Cork Airport

A German woman accused of having €280,000 worth of cocaine at Cork Airport confessed to the crime today.

Katrin Ruber (aged 20), of Magdatenenhousser, Weg 43, Wetzler, Germany, was arraigned on three counts on the indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today.

She admitted being in possession of cocaine on May 20 at Cork Airport, Kinsale Road, having the illegal drug for the purpose of selling or supplying, and having the cocaine at a time when its street value exceeded €13,000 figure.

This is the threshold figure for the mandatory sentencing of up to life imprisonment or a minimum of ten years on conviction, unless a judge finds there are exceptional circumstances that enable him to depart from the mandatory provisions.

Defence senior counsel, Tom Creed, told Judge Patrick J. Moran that Ruber left home at the age of 16 and that a German social worker was appointed to look after her welfare. Apparently, such an appointment is made in Germany when a person leaves their family home before reaching the age of 18.

Mr Creed SC said that the defence required the preparation of a probation report on Ruber in advance of sentencing and he suggested that the probation service should liaise with the particular social worker in Germany for the purposes of preparing the report on the defendant’s background.

Ruber cried in court yesterday as the matter was being heard. Judge Moran remanded her in continuing custody to appear for sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on February 21, 2008.