Perry Wharrie seeks further cocaine conviction appeal after sentence reduction

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Perry Wharrie’s prison sentence for his role in a €440 million cocaine smuggling attempt had been reduced on appeal from 30 years to 17 and a half years. A separate application to pursue a further appeal against his conviction remained undecided.

Wharrie, from Loughton, Essex, received the original sentence in 2008 after a Cork Circuit Criminal Court jury found him guilty following a 42-day trial. The offence concerned having cocaine for sale and supply in a smuggling attempt at Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, on 2 July 2007. His appeal against conviction was dismissed.

He was asking the Court of Criminal Appeal to certify a further appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that his case raised a point of law of exceptional public importance. Wharrie maintained that the drugs were not destined for Ireland and that having them for sale and supply could only constitute an offence here if they were intended for this country.

The DPP opposed the application, arguing that Wharrie had not engaged with the evidence and had not admitted that the drugs were intended for supply in another jurisdiction.

On 28 July 2016, Justice John MacMenamin, Mr Justice Moriarty and Mr Justice Brian McGovern reserved judgment on the application. Wharrie viewed the proceedings from prison by video link.