An aviation broker charged in connection with a seizure of heroin valued at €10 million at a small airport in Belgium has been refused bail by the High Court.
Mr Justice Paul Gilligan said he was satisfied that John Kinsella, who has bank accounts and property abroad, would be a flight risk if admitted to bail.
Mr Kinsella (36), Cairn Wood, Johnstown, Navan, Co Meath, a former national super heavyweight boxing champion, is charged with conspiracy to import controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Acts. The charges relate to the seizure of 50kg of heroin at an airfield in Belgium on September 26th last.
The court was told yesterday that a restaurateur friend of Mr Kinsella was willing to provide an independent bail surety of €100,000.
Mr Kinsella told the court his wife, Hazel, is due to give birth in four weeks and that he also has two daughters, aged 12 and 14 years, from a previous relationship, who are also living here.
His computers and files had been seized and he did not have the wherewithal to charter a flight. His plane in France was being maintained and he had no access to an aircraft. "My children and wife are here. I don't want to be anywhere else but Ireland. If granted bail I would spend as much time as possible with my wife whom I sorely miss and who could go into labour at any time."
Mr Justice Gilligan said he preferred the evidence of Det Garda Peter Gilligan, who said he believed that, if granted bail, Mr Kinsella would be a flight risk. The judge said he was satisfied Mr Kinsella had an intimate knowledge of the aviation industry and had property and bank accounts abroad.
Det Garda Gilligan had told the court he believed that, if granted bail, Mr Kinsella would not stand trial. Mr Kinsella was a broker who chartered private jets and had many contacts with people in the aviation industry. Mr Kinsella was the beneficial owner of a private jet valued at about €390,000, which was in France. When his home was searched, gardaí had found a number of what appeared to be forged driving licences.
Det Garda Gilligan also referred to the recording of a conversation found between Mr Kinsella and another man on the day of Mr Kinsella's arrest which referred to the "Old Bill" raiding his house and that he was under pressure.
He said Mr Kinsella's home was worth €1.3 million and he also had another house worth €420,000, both of which were being remortgaged for a third property with a mortgage of €600,000. There was also a property in Thailand worth €300,000.