Ten-year jail sentence for Mayo man (33) involved in illegal drugs trade
A man who threw cocaine valued at more than €50,000 into a ditch following a high-speed pursuit with gardaí has been jailed.
A jury at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court previously found Wayne Cooney, aged 33, of Pearse Terrace, Westport, guilty of possession of the drug for sale or supply.
Detective Sergeant Paul McNulty told the court that he and a colleague travelled from Galway on February 20, 2023, to speak to Cooney and another male in connection with non-drug related issues.
Witness had contacted the Armed Support Unit (ASU) as part of the operation and was travelling in an unmarked car between Partry and Westport when he spotted Cooney as the front seat passenger in a Volkswagen Passat with two other males.
The driver of the car has since pleaded guilty to motoring and drug offences arising out of the incident while a back seat passenger has left the jurisdiction.
Detective Sergeant McNulty said the vehicle was driving at a slow pace and the gardaí turned and followed at a distance.
As the Passat neared Ballinrobe Racecourse, a Garda ASU vehicle came into view, and when the driver spotted the garda vehicle, he sped off on the wrong side of the road and a high-speed chase ensued.
Sergeant Ian Kenny of the Garda ASU told the court the VW built up speed and overtook heavy traffic as it entered Ballinrobe. The car evaded a number of ASU vehicles as it drove through the town.
The pursuit continued on the N84 towards Castlebar. Sergeant Kenny said his vehicle was travelling at 180km per hour and was still failing to gain ground on the VW.
At a junction close to Partry Garda Station, the VW collided with Sergeant Kenny’s vehicle, causing the jeep to go through the wall of a house.
The Passat was travelling on Cottage Road in Breaffy, near Castlebar, when it got stuck behind a tractor. The driver attempted to overtake the tractor but got stuck in a ditch. Cooney tried to flee on foot but was chased and caught by Garda Ger Brady.
Garda Brendan Healy told the court he saw Cooney discard a package into a ditch as he exited the car. He showed Garda Caroline Hyland where he thought the brown package had been thrown.
A package containing more than 772gms of cocaine was found. The drugs had an estimated street value of €54,089.
Cooney had 66 previous convictions.
The court heard he is due to appear before Galway Circuit Criminal Court in June for sentencing on firearms and arson charges.
Cooney carried out these offences two days before the high-speed chase which led to his arrest in Breaffy. He has been in custody for the past three years in connection with the Galway and Mayo matters.
“He has spent a lot of time in prison for someone so young,” said Judge Eoin Garavan.
The judge imposed a 10-year prison sentence, suspending the final year of the term.
The sentence was backdated to reflect time already spent in custody.
* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.