The jury in the trial of three Englishmen charged in connection with the discovery of €440 million worth of cocaine off the west Cork coast last year has been sent to a hotel for the night.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain concluded his summing up to the jury of nine men and two women jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today in the trial of Martin Wanden, Perry Wharrie and Joe Daly. They ceased their deliberations at about 5.20pm and will resume at 10.30 in the morning.
Mr Wanden (45) of no fixed abode, Mr Wharrie (48) of Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex and Mr Daly (41) of Carrisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent each deny three charges including possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Dunlough Bay on July 2nd 2007.
The huge haul of cocaine which weighs over 1,500 kilos was recovered from Dunlough Bay at the end of the Mizen peninsula by gardai and customs officers assisted by local coastguard units, an Irish Coastguard helicopter and both Castletownbere and Baltimore Lifeboats.
Today, the trial entered its tenth week and 41st day after the jury heard evidence from over 200 witnesses including dozens from West Cork as well as several international witnesses from the UK, the US, South Africa, Spain and Barbados.
On Friday, Judge O Donnabhain issued his sternest warning yet to the jury about talking to anyone about the case and he urged them to ignore anything they might see or hear in the media in relation to the trial of the three accused
"It would be an absolute tragedy if anything happened to anyone on the jury because these men (the three accused) would have to go through it all again. Do not talk to any outside party about the case. We are entirely in your hands.
"You are not ready to deliberate yet. You will have Monday and Tuesday and whatever length of time you need," said Judge O Donnabhain who swore a jury into hear the case on May 20th and began hearing evidence the following week.
Security has been extremely tight during the lengthy trial with a large force of uniformed and plainclothes officers maintaining a presence each day around the courthouse on Washington Street in the heart of Cork city centre.
The prosecution case which closed its case after six weeks of evidence on July 7th has been presented by Tom Creed SC and Siobhan Langford BL instructed by State Solicitor for West Cork, Malachy Boohig.
Mr Wanden is represented by Padraig Dwyer SC instructed by Madden & Finucane Solicitors, Belfast while Mr Wharrie is represented by Tim O'Leary SC and Mr Daly is represented by Blaise O'Carroll SC, both instructed by solicitor, Michael McVerry, Dundalk