Duo jailed over over €2 million cannabis find

By Eimear Dodd

Two men have been jailed after they were caught with over €2 million of cannabis in a Dublin industrial estate almost two years ago.

Jamie Stalker (37) of Liverpool Road, Huyton, Liverpool and Niall Maher (38) of Cherry Orchard Drive, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, were both jailed yesterday for five years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.

The men both pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on May 24, 2023, at Canal Walk, Park West Industrial Estate. 

Imposing sentence, Judge Elva Duffy said the amount of drugs was an aggravating factor, describing it as a “very significant haul” of cannabis.

She said the court accepted both men were “small cogs” with no proprietary interest in the drugs, adding “these things wouldn’t happen” without “small cogs”.

The judge directed the sentence should be backdated to the date both men went into custody on May 24, 2023.    

An investigating garda told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that customs intercepted a pallet containing cannabis unloaded off a flight from Toronto.

The pallet’s contents were described as bedding, but there was a smell of the drugs.

A delivery address listed in the Kylemore Industrial Estate was found by gardai to be fictitious.

An undercover garda called a telephone number included in the documents and spoke to a man, later identified as Maher, who said he was at the address, and asked where they were.

A controlled delivery was arranged, and when gardai arrived, a white van pulled up beside their vehicle.

Maher waved at gardai, who then helped him to move the pallet into the van.

A garda surveillance operation observed him drive to the Park West Industrial Estate.

Maher met Stalker, who was on foot, there, and both men went to the back of the van.

At this point, gardai intervened and arrested both men. 104 kg of cannabis, valued at €2.08 million, was found.

The court was told that Stalker had travelled from the UK to meet this consignment of drugs, and a car ferry ticket was found on him.

When Stalker’s phone was analysed, evidence was found that he was acting under the direction of a third party, and his role was to count the drugs.

Maher’s role was to move the consignment of drugs from one location to another, the court heard. 

Maher told gardai when interviewed that he became involved due to a drug debt and was under threat by “very dangerous people” but otherwise exercised his right to silence.

Stalker exercised his right to silence during four interviews, but said in a fifth interview he was meeting a friend’s friend and didn’t know what was in the boxes.

Stalker has no previous convictions here or in the UK.

Maher has 52 previous convictions, including 44 for road traffic offences and one for simple possession of drugs dating back to 2010.

All of his previous convictions were at the District Court.

The investigating garda agreed with John Fitzgerald SC, for Stalker, that his client has a background in boxing and significant mental health issues.

It was further accepted that Stalker had had difficulties with drugs, though the garda said she didn’t know when Mr Fitzgerald put it to her that his client had a €14,000 drug debt.

Under cross-examination, the garda agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending Maher, that his client had no proprietary interest in the drugs and got involved as he was under pressure from third parties due to a drug debt.

It was further accepted that Maher indicated to gardai he didn’t know what he was transporting but also didn’t care because he considered the risk from those threatening him to be greater.

The garda agreed that Maher told gardai he had addiction issues and appears to look better now. It was further accepted that he has no trappings of wealth.

Defence counsel outlined the men’s personal circumstances to the court and handed in documents on behalf of their clients.

Both men left school at an early age, have a work history and developed addictions to cocaine.

Counsel for both men asked the court to take into account their client’s early guilty pleas, that they were low-level cogs and their expressions of remorse.

They also asked the court to consider suspending part of any sentence imposed to incentivise their clients’ rehabilitation.

Mr Fitzgerald said Stalker was a talented amateur boxer who represented his country and had aspirations of competing in the Beijing Olympics.

However, he didn’t achieve this and gave up boxing in 2009.

Mr Fitzgerald said Stalker had longstanding mental health issues and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2015.

Several reports were handed to the court in relation to Stalker’s mental health, which also outlined that he has had episodes of self-harm and a suicide attempt.

In early 2023, Stalker suffered a psychotic episode, and Mr Fitzgerald said the reports refer to his client’s “on and off” use of cocaine and “on and off” taking off his prescribed medication around this time. 

He said Stalker is doing well in custody and has set up a boxing class for fellow inmates in Cloverhill Prison, which he intends to continue in Mountjoy Prison when he is transferred following the imposition of sentence.

Counsel said his client built up a drug debt due to his use of cocaine and understands the seriousness of his actions.

Mr Spencer said Maher “succumbed” to pressure due to threats and took – what he believed at the time – to be the less dangerous course of action.

He said his client didn’t have direct knowledge about what he was transporting but was “extremely reckless” in his actions, even though he felt under duress due to “a more immediate threat to his family” that Maher “thought he could neutralise with this activity.”

Mr Spencer said Maher suffered a brain injury at 13 arising from an incident involving a run-away horse.

He suffered a brain injury, had to relearn literary skills and dropped out of mainstream education early.

Counsel said Maher’s cocaine addiction led to him bringing harm to the door of people around him.

His client is doing well in custody, has enhanced prisoner status and is clean of drugs.

Mr Spencer said his client’s family are supportive and will continue to do so while he remains drug-free.

He submitted that the majority of his client’s previous convictions are not relevant, and his conviction for possession of drugs is historic.