Two men jailed for 10 years, for having €5.1 million of cannabis resin for supply, have failed in their court bid to have their sentences reduced.
In July 2006, Shane O'Rourke (29) New Inn, Enfield, Co Meath, and Alan Flood (38), Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, but with an address in Urmston, Manchester, pleaded guilty to possessing more than 700kg of cannabis resin with intent to supply at Knockirr, Carbury, Co Kildare, on August 23rd, 2005.
Following a Garda operation, the drugs were recovered from an articulated lorry parked in a yard at an isolated part of Co Kildare.
Both men were sentenced to 14 years in jail by Judge Michael O'Shea at Kildare Circuit Criminal Court, with the final four years suspended.
Yesterday, the three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal rejected their appeals against severity of sentence.
The Court of Criminal Appeal, consisting of Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan, presiding, with Mr Justice Michael Hanna and Mr Justice Peter Charleton, rejected both appeals. Mr Justice Geoghegan said they could find no error with the sentences imposed by Judge O'Shea. The sentences adequately reflected the involvement of the two men and were "sound".