One of €440m accused 'has brother in UK drug squad'

One of the men on trial in relation to the recovery of €440m worth of cocaine off the West Cork coast has a brother who was with the drug squad of the British Metropolitan Police, it emerged on the fourteenth day of the trial today.

Margaret Kearney, a sister of defendant, Joseph Daly (aged 41) from Carrisbrook Avenue, Bexley, Kent, was called to give evidence in the trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The prosecution called her as a witness, from whom they sought no evidence, and she was questioned by Daly’s senior counsel, Blaise O’Carroll.

Asked about their brother, Michael Daly, Ms Kearney said he had been a detective sergeant in the drug squad of the Metropolitan Police and retired in 1994.

She said her brother, defendant Joe Daly, had been a very successful and hard-working builder with a very good job, nice home and nice family.

She said she lives with her family in Adrigole in West Cork and that her father also resides for at least part of the year in another part of West Cork. Ms Kearney testified that her brother Joe Daly often visited West Cork, sometimes for fishing holidays and sometimes with his family.

Three Englishmen, Perry Wharrie (aged 48) of Pyrles Lane, Essex, England, Martin Wanden (aged 45) of no fixed abode, and Joseph Daly, all deny the charges 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 2007 at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, Co Cork.

The nine men and three women of the jury heard evidence from a number of garda officers about fingerprints taken at a holiday home at Farnamanagh, Kilcrohane, Co Cork, last July and various items that were taken and put into evidence yesterday.

Detective Garda Damien Healy produced a number of items he seized in that house including packaging from two inflatable lifejackets, a 2006 pricelist for RIB boats, fishing rods, instructions related to an outboard motor and – the bulkiest item that was made an exhibit in the case – the horseshoe-shaped frame of a seating unit from a RIB and cushions from that.

Detective Garda Alec Butler, exhibits officer, examined a bag, taken from the house last July, at Bantry garda station last month and found a passport, driving licence card and a related document, all in the name of Perry Wharrie – items that had not been previously noticed.

The trial will complete its third full week of evidence tomorrow.