Former Ryanair pilot refused bail on €10 million drugs charge
A former Ryanair pilot, charged with possession of more than €10 million worth of drugs, has international criminal connections, gardaí have alleged in court.
Brendan O'Meara, 62, of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was refused bail before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday.
'He [Brendan O'Meara] has international criminal connections regarding the supply of controlled drugs,' Garda Sergeant Rob Sheehy, Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, alleged before Judge Marie Keane during a contested bail hearing.
Mr O'Meara faces two charges - possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis, on May 7.
Gardaí told the court Mr O'Meara made no reply to the charges, and that 'further, and more serious charges' may be brought against him in respect of the case.
The accused did not enter a plea in court. Gardaí alleged that Mr O'Meara had made certain 'admissions' while in custody following his arrest last Wednesday.
Mr O'Meara, who was hugged and kissed in the court by his wife, and two female relatives, recently handed in his notice to Ryanair, it was heard.
He had been intending to move to the United States to care for his brother who suffers with Parkinson's disease.
Sergeant Sheehy said he considered Mr O'Meara a 'flight risk' — and that, if granted bail, the accused would 'attempt to leave the country' and not appear for trial.
Gardaí seized pallets of cannabis with a street value of more than €10million euro at Mr O'Meara's home, last Wednesday, May 7.
Outlining the alleged facts, Sgt Sheehy said gardaí received 'confidential information' in respect of a pallet delivery at Mr O'Meara's home address.
Sergeant Sheehy said gardaí then obtained a search warrant at Ennis District Court, and that, later searching the accused's address, they seized 'an estimated 502kg of cannabis worth in excess of €10 million'.
Mr O'Meara was arrested at his home and conveyed to Henry Street Garda Station where he was detained under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.
Sergeant Sheehy said he was objecting to bail because of the 'strength and nature of the evidence' as well as the high value of the drugs.
He alleged that gardaí had obtained evidence to support their case, including 'CCTV footage' of Mr O'Meara at a 'courier depot' on May 6, a day before gardaí allege the cannabis haul was delivered to his home; as well as phone records showing alleged 'conversations in respect of the supply of drugs through Europe'.
Sergeant Sheehy alleged Mr O'Meara had been 'caught red-handed on his property'.
He told the court that the Garda investigation was in its 'infancy', but he said gardai believed that 'it stretches to a number of countries and there are a number of persons that need to be established'.
'We believe granting [Mr O'Meara] bail would hinder the progress of our investigation,' Sergeant Sheehy told the court.
He claimed Mr O'Meara was also a flight risk due to his 'aeronautical knowledge', that he has a number of pilots licenses, and has links to the USA.
'He has a Green Card and he is in the process of moving his life to the USA, Columbus Ohio, and he has handed in his notice to his job,' Sgt Sheehy said.
Applying for bail, Mr O'Meara's solicitor, Tara Godfrey, said the accused had 'three pilots licences including a helicopter licence, a UK pilot licence, and a EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) licence', and he would 'hand over' his licences to the State and not leave the country.
'His Ryanair crew card is being returned to his former employers,' Ms Godfrey said.
The solicitor said Mr O'Meara had obtained a Green Card to live and work in the US, and that he was planning on 'going to America to his brother who has Parkinson's'.
Ms Godfrey said Mr O'Meara was also in receipt of an 'Italian residency card' and he would also 'hand over' this, along with his US Green Card, to the State.
Ms Godfrey said a sister of Mr O'Meara was in the court and had pledged to act as an independent bail surety for the accused for up to €177,000.
Appealing for the court not to hold the accused in custody, Ms Godfrey said Mr O'Meara 'has offered up all the means he could to leave this country'.
'He has significant ties here, his wife is in court, his wife's sister is in court, his sister is in court, and his [other] sister passed away six weeks ago.
'He enjoys the presumption of innocence and I would ask the court not to remand him in custody,' Ms Godfrey concluded.
Judge Keane agreed that Mr O'Meara 'maintains his presumption of innocence'.
The judge said she was satisfied that gardaí had 'a credible case' in respect of their concerns about the accused being a 'flight risk'.
In refusing bail, the judge said she had also considered that the accused 'has ties to another jurisdiction'.
Judge Keane described the amount of drugs seized as 'enormous'.
'The seriousness of the alleged offence override's everything else. There is also the nature and strength of the evidence and his [alleged] admissions while in custody,' said Judge Keane.
She remanded Mr O'Meara in custody to appear before Ennis District Court via video-link, for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, on May 14.
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