AN antiques dealer, Christopher O'Connell, has been convicted of importing cannabis resin worth £7 million in 1991. He has been [remanded in custody for sentence on Monday.
He was found guilty by a 10-2 majority by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of three charges arising out of the discovery of the cannabis by Customs officers at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, on July 23rd, 1991.
Another defendant, Mr John Ryan (52), a former sailor, of Atlantic Villas, Weaver's Point, Co Cork, was found not guilty of all charges and was discharged by Judge Dominic Lynch. He had denied the charges and given evidence in his defence.
The jury took almost 3 1/2 hours to reach its majority verdicts after a five day trial.
O'Connell (50), with addresses at Merrion Village, Dublin, and The Mews, Montenotte, Cork, was found guilty of unlawful importation of cannabis resin for the purpose of sale or supply, unlawful importation of it and unlawful possession of the cannabis on the same date July 23rd, 1991.
During the trial O'Connell had been under the protection of armed detectives. There have been several delays in starting the trial.
The case was transferred from Cork Circuit Court to Dublin in November 1992, and the defendants were arraigned on December 18th. The High Court granted the men judicial review on January 11th, 1993, and the judgment was delivered the following August. The Supreme Court ruled on an appeal on April 8th, 1994.
The trial was then scheduled to start on April 24th, 1995, but had to be postponed again when O'Connell was shot at a restaurant near Dublin on April 22nd. When the trial got under way last October the jury was discharged on the third day because of alleged media reporting of evidence heard in the absence of the jury.
The jury heard that the cannabis was found aboard the yacht Karma of the East after it was towed into Courtmacsherry on July 23rd, 1991.
It was discovered by two Customs officers, Antoin Mac Mathuna and Micheal O Floinn, who went to Courtmacsherry after a radio news bulletin revealed that the disabled yacht was being towed to the harbour by the lifeboat.
The cannabis was contained in 28 bales. A forensic scientist, Ms Mary O'Connor, said there was a total of 4.206 slabs. There was enough of the drug to make almost seven million "joints" or cannabis cigarettes.