British men jailed for smuggling €690,000 of cannabis into Ireland

By Jessica Magee

 Two British men have been jailed after they were stopped at Dublin Airport carrying €690,000 worth of cannabis destined for the UK market.

Dylan Shears (20) and Ainsley Stevenson (26) pleaded guilty to smuggling over 30kg of the drug into Terminal 2 last October 17.

Stevenson, of Waverly Road in Halifax, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison while Shears, of Kent Road in Bradford, was handed a three-year sentence, at a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday.

Passing sentence, Judge Martin Nolan said that had Stevenson been an Irish national, he would have received a sentence of six and a half years, while Shears received a lesser sentence of three years on account of his younger age.

Judge Nolan said it is always more difficult for people to serve their sentences in a foreign jurisdiction, but that Stevenson had been a mature enough man who had made a serious misjudgement to involve himself in transporting drugs for profit.

Garda David Walsh told Shane O’Callagan BL, prosecuting, that the two men were met by customs officers when they arrived into Dublin Airport from Las Vegas and were questioned about suspect suitcases.

Stevenson said the suitcases belonged to him and that he had packed them himself.

Shears handed over the keys of the case and gardaí discovered 64 black, vacuum-packed packages which tested positive for cannabis.

The men were arrested and both cooperated with gardaí and made admissions.

The court heard they had travelled from Manchester, to Dublin, to Chicago, to Las Vegas, to New York and then back to Dublin.

The purpose of their journey was to collect the cannabis in Las Vegas and transport it via Dublin to Manchester, on behalf of an unnamed individual.

Neither accused has any previous convictions.

Shears told gardaí that his job was to supervise Stevenson, who was to transport the drugs, and that Stevenson was to be paid €15,000.

Shears claimed he only got paid for his flights, accommodation and €600 spending money.

Garda Walsh agreed with Giollaiosa O’Lidheadha SC, defending, that Stevenson was more likely to have received a quite limited monetary gain.

Mr O Lidheadha described Stevenson as a vulnerable person who had been used by others for relatively small gain.

“His role was the lowest rung of the ladder,” said Mr O’Lidheadha, handing in multiple letters from Stevenson’s parents and employer.

The court heard Stevenson had “always had a job” since he left school and was very likeable and a huge support to his family. He is truly remorseful, counsel said.

A long-term employer described Stevenson as hard-working, punctual, respectful, polite and helpful.

The court heard Stevenson is an enhanced prisoner and is using his time in custody constructively, actively engaged in education and spending the time in the gym.

Counsel for Shears also handed in a number of testimonials on his behalf, including from a neighbour who expressed surprise that he would find himself in this sitation.

Shears left school at 16 and trained as a barber before working in Germany for a time, the court heard.

Shears had been a cannabis user but was making good use of his time in custody and engaging well with educational teams and working in the prison kitchen.

He was also engaging with supports at Merchant’s Quay, the court heard.

Judge Nolan accepted that both accused had pleaded early and cooperated with gardaí.

He added that the intended market for the cannabis had been the United Kingdom.