A man arrested after sniffer dogs helped Customs detect €150,000 worth of cocaine in his car at Dublin Port has been sentenced to 10 years in prison with the final three years suspended.
Anthony Atkinson (48) had driven off a car ferry from Holyhead when sniffer dogs led by Customs officers detected suspicious packages in the back of his car.
Hidden panel in car
The car was searched and a hidden panel in the rear passenger door revealed packages containing 2.2 kg of cocaine valued at €155,582.
The father-of-one from Queensbury, Bradford, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on October 31st last year.
Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Patricia Ryan noted that Atkinson previously served a seven-year sentence imposed in 1994 for attempted murder.
The court heard he had attempted to stab his ex-wife during a bitter custody battle over their child.
Judge Ryan said she took into account evidence given by his partner, who said he was threatened and intimidated into transporting the drugs.
Garda Michelle Fitzpatrick told Tony McGillicuddy, prosecuting, he asked for a solicitor when the drugs were discovered. He was arrested and told gardaí he had a drug debt. He refused to give information on who gave him the drugs in the UK. He has 41 previous convictions in the UK, including drugs offences, theft, escaping from custody and attempted murder.
Heroin user
Paddy McGrath SC, defending, said his client had been "on and off" heroin since 1992, and was currently on methadone while in custody.
Atkinson previously worked for the Royal Mail, but had been on medical disability for a number of conditions including depression.
The court heard that at the time he was caught, Atkinson had been spending £100 a day on heroin in the UK, when the going rate was £10 a bag.
He had debts of £35,000, and was due to be paid £1,000 for doing the drugs run.
Atkinson’s partner, UK national Laura Slack, described the intimidation they had both been under leading up to the offence. She said she found Atkinson with a tea towel over his head and his face covered in blood after he was hit with a glass or a bottle.
Ms Slack said she was also threatened that she would be abducted if she came to Ireland to visit him in prison.
She told the court she has visited Atkinson once a month since he was jailed last year and that she is his only visitor.
Judge Ryan granted him legal aid in the event of an appeal, and backdated the sentence to October 31st, 2013.