Courts / Dublin / Report

Truck driver's drugs admission not unfair, appeal court rules

Date
2020-11-30

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In November 2020, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a 41‑year‑old Laois truck driver who had been convicted of possession of cocaine for sale or supply. The driver, who had transported almost €300,000 worth of cocaine into Dublin, had denied saying, "So you found the drugs, then?" to the officer who discovered the drugs. The alleged admission was allowed into evidence at his trial. The drugs were found stashed in a fire extinguisher in the cab of his truck after it was seized at Dublin Port more than five years earlier. Judge Patricia Ryan had sentenced him to eight and a half years' imprisonment in 2018, describing him as a facilitator in the importation of the drugs. The appeal focused on the alleged verbal admission, but the Court of Appeal ruled that it was not unfair for the State to rely on the admission, even though it was made before the driver was cautioned. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Truck driver's drugs admission not unfair, appeal court rules. Charges or matters: possession of cocaine for sale or supply on August 20, 2015. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

August 20, 2015 Incident
2020-11-30 Publication

Why: The court found that it was not unfair for the State to rely on a verbal admission volunteered by the appellant and unprompted by any questioning, just because he had not been cautioned at the stage that it was made. CNI source report