Latest news with #ChristopherHibbett
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
Man charged over seizure of €31m worth of cocaine in Cork says ‘I'm f****ng sorry'
Levant Gulay, Mark Dohery Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. Four men have appeared before a court in West Cork charged in connection with the seizure of €31 million worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry in west Cork on Tuesday. All four men have been remanded in custody. One of the men has an address in Germany whilst three of the men are British nationals. Levant Gulay, Mark Dohery Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. They were brought to the court by members of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau. Gardai were assisted by the Armed Support Unit. Levant Gulay (centre, blue jumper) of Neu Ulm, Germany pictured at Bandon District Court. Pic: Daragh Mc SweeneyCork Courts Limited Detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of the four accused at garda stations in Bandon in the county and Togher in Cork city. All four men were charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on July 1st 2025. Det Garda John McWeeney gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mark Doherty (40) of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland. He said that Mr Doherty made no reply when the charges were put to him. Christopher Hibbett of Truro, Cornwall pictured at Bandon District Court. Pic: Daragh Mc SweeneyCork Courts Limited News in 90 Seconds - Thursday, July 3 Det Garda Shane Kiely gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Ben Sandford (39) of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland. He also made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Marguerite Reilly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Levant Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany. He made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Gavin Curran, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Christopher Hibbett (44) of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England. Det Garda Curran told the court that Mr Hibbett stated 'I'm fucking sorry, that's it' when he put the possession of cocaine for sale or supply charge to him earlier today at Togher Garda Station. Solicitors Myra Dineen and Plunkett Taaffe, representing Mr Gulay and Mr Doherty respectively, said that their clients were reserving their positions on bail. Both solicitors opted to stand in for Frank Buttimer for Mr Sandford and for solicitor Eddie Burke for Mr Hibbett. They confirmed that they were also not seeking bail for either man at this juncture. Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge Joanne Carroll that gardai were seeking a remand in custody for all four men who will appear in Macroom District Court on July 9th. Judge Carroll remanded all four accused to appear in court on that date. Judge Carroll also requested that defence solicitors provide two days notice to gardai if their clients intend to make bail applications on the next occasion. All four men also have to supply statement of means to the court. The men were held under drugs trafficking legislation which allowed gardai to detain them for seven days. The arrests occurred as part of a Joint Task Force Drugs Interdiction Operation.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Four men remanded after appearing in court charged over €31m cocaine seizure in Cork when van stopped & searched
FOUR men have appeared before Bandon District Court charged in connection with a €31 million cocaine seizure. Three of the four accused are British, while the fourth has an address in 4 Ben Sandford of Moray, Scotland arriving at Bandon District Court Credit: Provision 4 Mark Doherty of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow was in court charged in connection with a €31m cocaine seizure Credit: Provision 4 Christopher Hibbett of Truro, Cornwall is also charged Credit: Provision Earlier this week, The men who appeared in court are 40-year old Mark Doherty, with an address at Waterfront Avenue, Glasgow; 41-year old Ben Sandfield, with an address at Moray in All four face two charges each: possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry on Tuesday. Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau to Judge Joanne Carroll. Read more in News Detective Garda John McWeeney said he arrested Mark Doherty and charged him with the two charges. He made no reply when charged. Lawyer Plunkett Taaffe, defending, applied for free legal aid and said his client was not applying for bail at this time. Judge Carroll said a statement of means must be provided before granting his application. Detective Garda Marguerite Reilly said she arrested Levent Gulay and charged him with the two drugs charges on July 2 at 20.45 in Bandon Garda Station. Most read in The Irish Sun He made no reply. The services of a German interpreter were used both in the Garda Station and in the court this morning. Lawyer Myra Dineen said there would be no bail application at this time, but there may be at a later date. 'SORRY' Detective Garda Gavin Curran said he charged Christopher Hibbett and cautioned him. He made no reply to possession of cocaine but replied to the charge of possession for sale or supply: 'I am f***ing sorry. That's it.' Detective Garda Shane Kiely said he arrested and charged Ben Sanford who made no reply to the charges. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said he was seeking a remand in custody to Macroom District Court on July 9. REMANDED Judge Joanne Carroll said the State is to be provided with 48 hours notice of any applications for bail, and statements of means for all defendants requesting free legal aid was to be produced 24 hours in advance of court appearances to give the court time to consider the applications. She remanded the four defendants in custody, which she said could be for no more than eight days. They will all appear in Macroom District Court on July 9. 4 Levant Gulay of Neu Ulm, Germany at Bandon District Court Credit: Provision
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Four remanded in custody after €31m cocaine seizure in West Cork drugs bust
Four men have been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with the seizure of an estimated €31m worth of cocaine in West Cork on Tuesday. There was tight security both outside and inside Bandon District Court as all four — two with addresses in Scotland, one in the UK, and one in Germany — were brought to court from two separate garda stations, where they had been held since the major Joint Task Force drug interdiction operation in the Courtmacsherry area. Levent Guley who appeared at the District Court in Bandon, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan The accused are Christopher Hibbett, 45, of 3 Lower Park, Trisillian, Truro, Cornwall, UK; Mark Doherty, 40, of Waterfoot Road, Glasgow, Scotland; Ben Sandford, 39, of Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland; and Levant Gulay, 31, of Schwabenstrasse 76, Neu-Ulm, Germany. Judge Joanne Carroll heard evidence of arrest, charge, and caution in respect of each of the accused from detective gardaí attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. Ben Sandford who appeared at the District Court in Bandon, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan Each man was charged with two offences under Section 3 and Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act: That they were in possession of a controlled drug, cocaine, at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork, on July 1, 2025, And that they possessed the drug for the purpose of sale or supply, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The court was told that Mr Doherty, Mr Sandford, and Mr Gulay made no reply to the charges. Detective Garda Gavin Curran told the judge that Mr Hibbett made no reply to the Section 3 charge. However, when presented with the Section 15 charge — possession of cocaine with intent to sell or supply — he replied: 'I'm fucking sorry – that's it.' Christopher Hibbett who appeared at the District Court in Bandon, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan There was no application for bail by any of the accused, and Judge Carroll remanded all four in custody to appear again before Macroom District Court on July 9. An interpreter was present to assist Mr Gulay. Each of the accused is expected to apply for free legal aid, and Judge Carroll instructed them to prepare a statement of means. She also stated that the State would require at least 48 hours' notice of any bail application.
