By Garrett Hargan
A Derry man described by police as ‘a leading member of a criminal network’ involved in large-scale drugs supply in Northern Ireland has been denied bail.
Patrick O’Connor, 48, of Stoneypath in Derry, appeared in court by way of video link from Maghaberry Prison.
He faces eighteen charges linked to drug offences and money laundering. Those include five counts of possessing criminal property, concealing criminal property, converting criminal property, and conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs between July 2016 and June 2017.
Police described the defendant as the ‘principal player’ of the organised crime gang (OCG) alleged to be involved in drugs and money laundering offences with an alleged estimated value of £2m.
Objecting to bail a police officer said O’Connor ‘remains a leading member of an organised crime network involved in the supply of controlled drugs in Northern Ireland’. He told the court that O’Connor made arrangements for a lorry driver to go to England to purchase £408,000 worth of Class A and B drugs.
The officer believed there was a risk of reoffending as O’Connor is used to ‘such a high lifestyle’ that to maintain it would require him to commit further offences. He said the defendant’s only income is generated through criminality and he has directed drugs operations from a home in Bulgaria.
The court was told that O’Connor gets other members to purchase phones on his behalf and is ‘never hands on enough to leave finger prints or DNA evidence’. Since the 48-year-old has been on remand police have ‘significantly disrupted this criminal network’ and if he was released it ‘would allow them to regroup’, he added.
Starved of funds
Police believe the defendant has been ‘reaping the rewards for all of the drugs transported in to Northern Ireland.’
Further concerns were raised about the defendant absconding as during previous investigations senior members have absconded to other countries even without passports, the PSNI officer said. He also believed O’Connor has a ‘substantial amount of cash and properties police are unaware of’.
The officer concluded by saying the PSNI wants to ‘disrupt and dismantle this organised crime gang.’
The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and PSNI believed that progress has been made towards a preliminary enquiry this year.
Defence solicitor Ciaran Shiels raised concerns regarding delays in the case and District Judge Barney McElholm agreed that more progress could have been made but put it down to government agencies being ‘starved of funds’.
The District Judge added: “This country has been starved of money from Westminster for some time now, it may be a resources issue. The decision was taken that the (PPS) directing officer couldn’t proceed with the case when maybe it shouldn’t have been allocated to him in the first place.”
Making the case for his client to be released on bail, Mr Shiels said that other alleged senior members of the OCG had been granted bail including O’Connor’s wife, and co-accused in the case, who recently had her bail terms relaxed to allow her to go on holiday to Spain.
The defence solicitor also confirmed that none of those released had come before the court for further offences. Addressing concerns about his client absconding, he said that all of his ties lie in the North of Ireland.
Mr Shiels told the court that O’Connor has served the equivalent of a two year sentence at this stage and fears of further offending were based on ‘supposition’ by the police.
Endemic problem
Judge McElholm agreed with the defence that there have been ‘delays for some considerable time’ and was cognisant of the most recent letter by the directing officer in the case which suggested a committal hearing could be in the next year.
Reference was made to police fears of absconding and the judge believed O’Connor ‘may well have cash secreted away for that purpose’. He added: “There’s no evidence this criminal gang has simply shut down. Police believe their activities have been disrupted by this man being in custody.”
The District Judge also held that bail would be ‘extremely difficult to police’ and said it was in the public interest to ‘combat’ the drug problems which are now of ‘endemic proportions’. He added that people in Derry attend court on a daily basis who have been ‘poisoning their bodies and minds with these drugs’.
Bail was refused due to fears of absconding, further offending, and to ‘fight against drug crime’. The 48-year-old was remanded in custody to appear in court sitting by way of video link on May 3.
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