Three men convicted of possessing at least €440 million worth of cocaine off the west Cork coast on July 2, 2007 have been sentenced to a combined 85 years in prison.

TOP SECURITY: Heavily armed gardaí pictured at the sentencing of three men for the West Cork cocaine haul. Picture: Daragh MacSweeney/Provision

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin handed down a 25 year sentence to Joe Daly (41) and sentenced both Perry Wharrie (48) and Martin Wanden (45) to 30 years imprisonment at Cork Criminal Court yesterday.

The three men, all from the England, were convicted of three charges including possessing more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply earlier this week after a lengthy trial which spanned over 40 days and heard some 360 testimonies from around 300 witnesses.

At yesterday's sitting the court heard that Perry Wharrie from Kent had a number of previous convictions and was jailed for life in 1989 for murder of an off-duty police officer. He was released on licence in 2005 but failed to adhere to the condition of his probation and is now wanted by British authorities who have issued a European arrest warrant for him.

The court also heard that Martin Wanden of no fixed abode also has a number of previous convictions, including a conviction in France in 2003 for drug smuggling for which he was sentenced for two years in his absence.

John Daly from Kent also had a number of minor convictions in the UK, but, the Judge said that these were minor by comparison.

Handing down the sentence in Cork yesterday, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said that while he couldn't increase the mens' sentences by as much as one hour because of their decision to fight against the charges, he could also not make any special reduction for the three convicted because they hadn't made a guilty plea. He said that the sentences he was handing down were "sought out by the defendants" who were well aware of the legal background of such cases and the ability to reduce sentences if the accused cooperate with the courts and make an early plea.

The judge was strongly critical of the evidence provided the two defendants who took the stand, and said that they didn't give the jury any chance to believe them because what they said was so blatantly false. "The manner in which they lied showed complete contempt for the jury," he said adding that their "levels of incredulity were hard to fathom."

The judge said that the massive operation had required huge logistical, financial and time commitments and said that the three convicted had been very dedicated to this criminal act. He said there was no evidence that any of the three men suffered from any addiction and that it was clear they were willing " to deal in death and destruction for money."

Gerard Hagan (24) the fourth man charged in relation to the case, had already pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to possessing over €13,000 worth of drugs for sale or supply. He will appear before the court for sentencing on November 4.

Meanwhile, the court has heard that it is believed another six people were involved in the major drugs operation last July.

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