Joe Daly

GARDAÍ BELIEVE that Daly (41) became involved in the drugs smuggling operation through his older brother, Michael.

GARDAÍ BELIEVE that Daly (41) became involved in the drugs smuggling operation through his older brother, Michael.

Daly himself presented a defence depicting him as very much under the influence of the brother, a retired detective sergeant in the London Metropolitan Police.

Born in London to Irish parents from west Cork, Daly is a bricklayer with his own business, JD Bricklaying, is married with three children and lived in Bexley, Kent.

It emerged yesterday that he had a number of previous convictions but for generally minor matters, including threatening and abusive behaviour, assaults on police officers and possessing a blade.

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During the trial, his uncle Tom Lydon told how Daly visited him on the day before the drugs seizure and watched the Munster football final between Cork and Kerry on TV.

He described him as very obliging, "the first man to come around" if anyone needed help.