DRUG-SMUGGLER APPEALS 17-YEAR SENTENCE

A man jailed for 17 years in connection with a A347 million cocaine
seizure appealed against his sentence in the Court of Criminal Appeal
yesterday.

In the drug-smuggling operation an English national, Gordon Richards, was
"a small cog in a big wheel" and had expressed deep remorse about his
involvement, the court was told. The court reserved its decision.

Gordon Richards (51), who was brought up by relatives in the West Indies,
was jailed for 17 years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in September 1996
after he admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply. The charges
arose out of the seizure of A347 million worth of cocaine at Cork Harbour.

Three other foreign nationals accused of drug-related offences were
acquitted in February 1997.

Judge Anthony Murphy had made an order that there should be no media
reporting other than the fact that the trial was proceeding in open court,
the names and addresses of the accused and the nature of the charges.

The judge's order was challenged by The Irish Times and a number of other
media organisations, and last month the Supreme Court unanimously upheld
the media challenge.

At the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday, Mr Brendan Grogan, counsel for
Richards, said he was appealing against the severity of the sentence. He
would not be due for release until 2009, when He would be aged about 62.

Mr Grogan said Richards was sent to relatives in the West Indies when he
was three because his mother was no longer able to care for him. He
appeared to have been affected when he later discovered that the person he
had thought was his mother was not. He had been a boat-builder all his
life. Owing to misfortunes the lifestyle he had built up was lost in a
hurricane in the West Indies.

Counsel said Richards had led an unblemished life before he got involved in
the drug-smuggling operation. There was nothing to say he was the prime
mover. A boat had been chartered and he later found men with guns were
involved. Threats were made against his partner and her child. He went
along with the venture because of the threats.

Mr Grogan said Richards had been offered either $100,000 or $400,000 for
his participation. There was no evidence to show he had received that
amount. He had received $1,000 for expenses.

While it would appear that Richards was the nominal skipper of the ship,
there was another person directing operations. Richards had admitted
involvement within minutes of being interviewed by gardai.

Mr Grogan asked the court to take into account his client's foreign
nationality, the state of his health and the fact that he was unable to
contact his girlfriend, who had returned with her child to Colombia.

Mr Richards's health was deteriorating and he feared he would not survive
his sentence, counsel added. His asthma was affected by the Irish climate.
But, despite his difficulties, he was working productively in the prison
workshop and was selling model ships and cars to prison officers.

Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the
drug seizure was one of the largest in the State. If the drugs had got
loose they would have caused "havoc".

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski