Drugs accused has bail withdrawn with concerns on firearms charges

Appearing at Belfast Magistrates’ Court for the second time in three days, 28-year-old Patrick McGinley was charged with three offences following searches at his Hannahstown business premises in west Belfast on Thursday last week.

McGinley, from Colinmill in Dunmurry, was charged with possessing a firearm under suspicious circumstances and without a certificate as well as having an alleged cutting agent, capable of assisting in the supply of class A drugs.

He first appeared in court alongside 36-year-old Francis McCourt on the day of the search when both men were accused of having cannabis and cocaine with intent to supply, possessing £2,000 and an Audi which are allegedly criminal property and possessing a shotgun shell in suspicious circumstances.

McGinley and McCourt, from Glenbawn Walk, were arrested after police stopped and searched a van they were in on Kingsway in Dunmurry with an initial search uncovering class A and B drugs in the van while a further search of a Dunmurry flat uncovered further drugs, the cash and shotgun shell.

At that stage, a police officer told the court: “The drug seizures in this case are by no means insignificant – we’re talking about over a kilogram of what police believe to be high-grade cocaine, and in the region of six kilograms of herbal cannabis.”

Despite police objections both men were freed on bail.

In court on Saturday, a PSNI officer said he believed he could connect McGinley to the fresh charges adding that again, police had objections to him being freed due to fears that McGinley “is an important cog in the workings of an organised crime gang”.

He said that the secondary search has uncovered a “particularly realistic looking” gun which still has to be forensically tested but which police “suspect that is used by him in his day to day running of his drugs business”.

Submitting that the shotgun shell “suggests that he has access to a shotgun,” the officer contended that McGinley “does pose a risk to the public” while the “significant seizures” would lead to a risk of him committing further offences to recoup the losses.

Defence counsel Gavin Booth argued that the new charges “will not stand up” as the firearm in question does not come under the firearms legislation so is not illegal, while the supposed cutting agent “is actually grout” which if cut with cocaine “would have fatal consequences”.

He submitted that bail was “fully considered” by the court on Thursday and there had been a decision to free McGinley with a package of strict conditions so the defendant should be freed again.

“His family are there to support him, he has another child on the way and his family will keep a close eye on him,” said Mr Booth.

District Judge George Conner told the lawyer “it’s the firearms offences that are causing me greater concern and I think there’s a real risk to the public so I refuse bail”.

Remanding McGinley into custody, the case was adjourned to September 9.