THE TRIAL of three English men charged in connection with a €440 million drugs seizure in west Cork has been told that a man rescued from the water, suffering from hypothermia, claimed to be on a fishing trip with two other men when their punt was hit by a boat and sank.
Det Garda Ann Murphy of Bandon Garda station gave evidence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday that she was directed to keep a "discreet surveillance" at Bantry General Hospital on a man who identified himself as Anthony Linden from Kent.
Garda Murphy said she was asked to carry out the surveillance on Mr Linden after he was recovered from the water at Dunlough Bay on July 2nd, 2007, and airlifted to Bantry General Hospital in west Cork.
She said on July 3rd she and a colleague were given permission by a consultant to speak to the man who called himself Anthony Linden but was named by gardaí in court as Martin Wanden.
She said the patient told her that he was out fishing on a red punt with two other men when they were hit by another boat. He reportedly told Garda Murphy and her colleague, Garda PJ O'Shea, that he had been in Ireland for two weeks when the incident occurred.
Garda Murphy said Mr Linden was arrested outside the hospital on July 5th, 2007, just minutes after he was discharged.
Det PJ O'Shea said in evidence that the man calling himself Anthony Linden claimed he had been fishing for mackerel with two other men when their punt was hit by a boat. He claimed Mr Linden said he was "well beered" up when the incident occurred.
Pauric O'Dwyer SC, defending, said his client, Mr Wanden, had no memory of then being interviewed by gardaí.
Mr Wanden (45), Joseph Daly (41) and Perry Wharrie (48) are each charged with three offences arising from the discovery of 1,500kg of cocaine in 62 bales recovered from the sea at Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, Bantry, on July 2nd, 2007.
The three men have pleaded not guilty to all charges.