Man threw €50k of cocaine away after high-speed chase
The defendant was found guilty by a jury after a two-day trial at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A man threw a package of cocaine valued at more than €50,000 into a ditch as he attempted to flee Gardaí following a high-speed chase.
Wayne Cooney, aged 32, of Pearse Terrace, Westport, pleaded not guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to charges of possession of cocaine. A jury took less than an hour to return a guilty verdict following a two-day trial.
Det Sgt 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.
Det Sgt McNulty 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 backseat passenger has left the jurisdiction.
Det Sgt McNulty said the vehicle was driving at a slow pace and they 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.
Sgt 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. Sgt 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 Sgt Kenny’s vehicle, causing the jeep to go through the wall of a house.
Sgt Kenny attempted to apprehend the occupants of the car and broke the passenger window with his ASP baton. The driver of the VW reversed into a second ASU vehicle that had arrived at the scene and took off again. Two other ASU vehicles remained in pursuit as the car continued towards Castlebar.
Gda Ger Brady accompanied by Gda Brendan Healy followed the VW as it drove at high speed though Ballintubber and Castlebar. Gda Brady said Cooney was throwing plastic debris out the window of the car in an effort to slow them down.
The Passat was travelling on Cottage Road, Breaffy when it got stuck behind a tractor. The car attempted to overtake the tractor but got stuck in a ditch. Cooney attempted to flee on foot but was chased and caught by Gda Brady.
Gda Healy told the court he saw Cooney discard a package into a ditch as he exited the car. He showed Gda 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.
Following the guilty verdict, Cooney, who has more than 40 previous convictions and is currently in prison, was further remanded in custody until November 7 for sentencing.
