TWO men caught red-handed at Belfast docks with a shipment of cannabis destined for the Republic of Ireland were sentenced yesterday at the city's magistrates court.
However, because of time already served, and an early guilty plea, 38-year-old Co Louth man Robert Byrne was told he would be freed.
His 26-year-old co-accused, Co Armagh lorry driver Gerard Bates, whose plea came five months later, will still have to serve half of his 40-month jail term before being released.
Byrne from Gleann Alinn, Drogheda, and Bates from Wastsonville, Lurgan, admitted involvement in the supply of the Class B drug on January 26 last year.
Belfast Recorder, Judge David McFarland said, while the "significant" 48kg haul of cannabis was unlikely to be distributed here, and was meant for the Republic, the courts in Northern Ireland "are concerned with the wellbeing of all citizens of this island".
The pair were arrested in the Belfast harbour area as they were transferring the drugs from Bates's lorry, which had just arrived from England, to a van supplied by Byrne.
Judge McFarland said that essentially Byrne was then to transport the drugs to the Republic for distribution.
The Recorder said while he was willing to deal with each of them as "couriers", Byrne had admitted his guilt at the outset and had spent time on remand before being released on bail, but Bates did not plead at the first opportunity.
However, Judge McFarland said their pleas were indicative of their remorse, and he accepted that Byrne's involvement stemmed from having to pay off a debt because of his own drug addiction, while Bates had accepted an offer made by more unscrupulous characters after getting into financial difficulties.
