AN IRISH international kickboxer has been jailed for two years after he was caught “red handed” with a bag of cannabis following a high speed chase on a motorbike reaching speeds of over 200kmph.
Emmett Flannery (28), of Sheep Street, was arrested after traffic corps Gardaí followed him as he travelled at high speed on the M20 near Patrickswell on June 4, 2012.
As he approached his home, he threw a bag over a fence into waste ground. Gardaí retrieved the bag that contained almost half a kilo of cannabis with an estimated street value of €10,000.
During the sentencing hearing last week, Judge Carroll Moran was told that Flannery was not the owner of the drugs but a “courier acting under threat” over a drug debt he was struggling to pay off.
Gardai said that while he was cooperative, he refused to identify the owners of the drugs or those who directed him to carry out the delivery.
The case had been adjourned for a year to allow Flannery complete rehabilitation for a drug addiction and when he appeared before Judge Carroll Moran last week, the court was told that he had completed an extensive period of treatment.
However, Judge Moran adjourned sentencing for a further five days to consider the matter.
When the case resumed on Tuesday, Defence Counsel, Mark Nicholas BL said his client had been in custody for the previous five days. It was a frightening time and gave him a major wake up call.
His client was an international kick boxer at the peak of his fitness and Mr Nicholas asked that he get a second chance so he could avail of the support for his family as he had a good history and further prospect of work.
However, Judge Moran said that despite the “powerful mitigating factors”, a custodial sentence was warranted. He was caught red-handed and the manner of his driving was reprehensible.
Stating that storemen and couriers were an essential cog in drug dealing, he imposed a two year prison sentence, remarking that Flannery was caught with a “very substantial amount of illicit drugs”.
