Ex-Ryanair pilot charged over €10m cannabis seizure to have material independently analysed, lawyer says

Gordon Deegan

A lawyer for a former Ryanair pilot charged in connection with the possession of more than €10 million of cannabis has told a court that he is in the process of having the material independently analysed.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, solicitor Ted McCarthy said the independent analysis of the material would help determine a bail application for Brendan O’Mara.

Mr O’Mara (62), of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was making his fifth court appearance concerning the Garda seizure of cannabis worth an estimated €10m at Mr O’Mara’s Clare home on May 7th.

The pilot appeared in court on Wednesday via video-link from a booth at Limerick prison after a judge refused Mr O’Mara bail at a special sitting of Ennis District Court on May 10th following Garda objections.

Sgt John Burke said on Wednesday that the Garda investigation was complex and “involved the seizure of €10 million worth of cannabis”.

He said two gardaí are employed full-time on the investigation and that it involves international inquiries and ongoing inquiries into devices that were also seized.

Mr McCarthy said: “I take on board what the State has said. We ourselves are in the process of having the material independently analysed.”

He added: “Dependent on the outcome of that will determine our bail application, which is imminent, it has to be said, and the State is aware of that.”

Mr O’Mara faces two charges – possessing cannabis for sale or supply and possessing cannabis on May 7th.

At the contested bail hearing on May 10th, gardaí told the court Mr O’Mara made no reply to the charges after caution, and that “further, and more serious charges” may be brought against him in respect of the case where gardaí seized an estimated 502kg of cannabis.

Sergeant Rob Sheehy of the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit 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 told the court that the Garda investigation was in its “infancy”, but he said gardaí believed that “it stretches to a number of countries and there are a number of persons that need to be established”.

He claimed Mr O’Mara was also a flight risk due to his “aeronautical knowledge”, that he has a number of pilots licences, and has links to the USA.

Applying for bail on May 10th, solicitor Tara Godfrey said the accused has “three pilots licences including a helicopter licence, a UK pilot licence and a EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) licence”, but he would hand these over to the State and not leave the country.

“His Ryanair crew card is being returned to his former employers,” Ms Godfrey said.

Ms Godfrey said a sister of Mr O’Mara 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’Mara “has offered up all the means he could to leave this country” and has significant ties here.

She said, “He enjoys the presumption of innocence.”

Judge Gabbett remanded Mr O'Mara in custody to re-appear at Ennis District Court on July 9th and said that if he secures bail in the meantime that he must appear in person.