A former restaurateur who claims to have catered at Michael Flatley’s wedding has been jailed for 15 years for importing cannabis from Spain.
During the three week trial at Limerick Circuit Court, the jury was told how Pat Scanlon (54) posted cannabis worth €79,000 from Malaga to a house in Pallaskenry, Co Limerick on August 8th, 2013.
The drugs arrived into Ireland in a package handled by DHL couriers which was found by customs officials to contain 4.8 kilos of cannabis.
The jury heard how Stephen Quin – a former work colleague of Scanlon – was duped into accepting delivery of the parcel after he had approached him about setting up a new restaurant in Askeaton and later in Ennis.
In his evidence, Scanlon claimed he was “highly regarded” in the restaurant trade and told the court he had catered at Michael Flatley’s wedding reception in 2006.
Judge Carroll Moran jailed him for 15 years.