Scientist: 'Strong support' for link between man and drugs car

A forensic scientist has told a jury at the trial of two men accused of conspiracy to possess drugs that there is “strong support” to show that one of the men had been in contact with a car containing a large amount of drugs.

Cannabis resin valued at more than €2m was found by gardaí in 14 boxes split between a Ford Transit van and an Opel Astra car in Browns Barn Public house car park.

William Hynes (aged 43) of Park Close, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath and John Mangan (aged 41) of Whitestown Green, Blanchardstown, have both pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to conspiring with others to possess cannabis resin and conspiring with others to possess the drug for sale or supply on July 31, 2006.

Mr Eanna Mulloy SC (with Mr Paul Carroll BL), prosecuting, told the jury that all parties agreed that Mr Hynes and Mr Mangan were arrested at the Citywest roundabout near Browns Barn on July 31, 2006 and brought to Clondalkin garda station. He said Mr Hynes accepted that he had been driving a green Citreon C5 car.

Garda Padraig Fennessy told Mr Mulloy that he examined the green Citroen C5 car, the dark Opel Astra and the white Ford Transit van. He said he took finger prints and fibre lifts from the Opel Astra where he also found a set of keys for a silver Peugeot car.

Garda Fennessy said he found a box of polythene gloves on the floor of the green Citroen C5.

Garda Des Byrne said he examined the green Citroen C5 and found a pair of black gloves in the front.

Ms Bridget Fleming, forensic scientist, told Mr Mulloy that she received tape lifts and fabric samples from the vehicles along with the clothes that Mr Hynes and Mr Mangan had been wearing at the time of their arrest.

Ms Fleming said she carried out an analysis of the materials and was able to determine that there was "strong support" for the contention that Mr Mangan had been in contact with the Opel Astra.

She said she could not assist as to whether Mr Mangan had been in contact with the green Citroen C5 or the white Ford Transit. She said there was “no support” for the contention that Mr Hynes had been in contact with the Opel Astra.

Detective Garda Patrick Connell told Mr Mulloy that analysis was performed on one mobile phone seized from Mr Mangan, another mobile phone found in the green Citreon C5 car and a third phone taken from another person arrested at the scene who had been driving the white Ford Transit van.

Det garda Connell said a report had been generated as a result of the analysis which detailed a call lasting 38 seconds from the third person’s phone to the phone seized from Mr Mangan at 11.12 am.

He said there were nine calls back and forth between the phone found in the green Citroen driven by Mr Hynes and the phone seized from Mr Mangan. He said the calls began at 12.12am and ended at 12.55 am and had duration ranging from three seconds and 42 seconds with some connecting and some going to voice mail.

The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of five men and seven women.