Courts / Cork / Report

Indebted taxi driver loses appeal against 10-year sentence for €1.3 million cannabis possession

Date
2014-11-17
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Carrigaline
County
Cork

Summary

Trevor Williamson, a 48‑year‑old taxi driver from Carrigaline, Co. Cork, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended by Judge Patrick Moran in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court in May 2014. The sentence followed his conviction for possession of 99 kg of cannabis resin, valued at €594 000, found in nine boxes he had taken from a house during a Garda surveillance operation. Williamson's co‑accused was given a wholly suspended sentence. The Court of Appeal rejected Williamson's appeal, noting that the sentence was not excessive but that there was a significant disparity between his sentence and that of his co‑accused. The judge highlighted that Williamson had recruited the co‑accused and that the quantity and value of the drugs were substantial, justifying the imposed term within the statutory range for the offence. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Indebted taxi driver loses appeal against 10-year sentence for €1.3 million cannabis possession. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Case subjects

Trevor Williamson

Appellant

Outcome: Trevor Williamson was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge Patrick Moran in Cork Circuit Criminal Court in May of last year. Refusing Williamson's appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the case was not so much that the sentence imposed on the appellant was inherently excessive but rather there was too great a disparity between the sentence imposed on Williamson and his co-accused.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Cork
  • Cork Circuit Criminal Court
  • Court of Appeal

Topics

Drugs Stage Appeal

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