31/03/06
Drug baron found dead in mother's home

ONE of the country's biggest drug dealers has died of a suspected heart attack. However, the authorities are awaiting toxicology results to establish if it might have been sparked by an overdose.
Edward "Judd" Scanlon, who was a was a leading member of a gang that imported millions of euro worth of drugs into the country every year, was found dead at his mother's home in a Cork suburb on Wednesday night.
The body of the 56-year-old, who had a 22-year sentence for possession of heroin and cocaine quashed, last August, by the Court of Criminal Appeal, was discovered at a house at Laburnum Drive, Bishopstown.
His mother was away at the time and the discovery, made by his brother shortly after 9pm. The scene was preserved for technical examination, but gardaí quickly ruled out foul play.
A senior garda source said the former Jesuit student's fully-clothed body was discovered in a hallway. "He had his coat and hat on as if he was just about to go out," the source said.
He confirmed that blood was coming from Scanlon's nose. However, this could have resulted from a fall. Gardaí said they didn't find any evidence of drugs in the house. It is believed the deceased may have been dead for three or four days.
A post mortem was carried out at Cork University Hospital yesterday by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.
It could take several weeks before the results of all toxicology tests are known. These will be made public at his inquest.
The father-of-three was described, during his 1999 trial, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, by the head of the Cork Drugs Squad, Det Inspector Tony Quilter, (now a detective superintendent) as being a member of the "upper echelon" of drug dealers.
He had been caught in possession of a large quantity of heroin and cocaine and the court heard that his arrest was a major coup in the garda fight against drug trafficking.
Intelligent and well-spoken, Scanlon came from a good home but quickly fell into the criminal underworld, a career that earned him two drug dealing convictions in Britain during the 1980s.
Despite his wealth, Scanlon never flaunted large amounts of cash, but was suspected of having money abroad. He had contacts in Spain, Morocco and Holland.
Scanlon got seven years for trying to import a lorry-load of heroin from Turkey into England in 1980.
He was released from jail early, but, in 1986, was charged with conspiracy to import drugs through Heathrow Airport and got a further three years behind bars.
Upon sentencing Scanlon to 22 years in jail on drugs charges, in 1999, Judge AG Murphy said: "He is a person of high intelligence and in my mind that makes him even more culpable."
After the Court of Criminal Appeal overturned his conviction last year, Scanlong said, as he left the court: "It's easy to get into jail in this country, but not so easy to get out. I had to wait for a long time for justice."
The DPP decided against a retrial in October last year. Scanlon was no longer seen as a threat and was not believed to be under surveillance by the drug squad.
Criminal record
* 1980: Given a seven-year sentence in Britain in 1980 after getting caught driving a lorry loaded with heroin from Turkey to England.
* 1986: Released early, and in June was seen at Heathrow Airport with a woman who had four ounces of heroin concealed in her underwear. He received a three-year sentence on a conspiracy charge.
* 1999: Convicted by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in March on two counts of possession of ecstasy and cocaine with intent to supply.
* 1999: sentenced by Judge AG Murphy to 22 years in prison, the longest sentence handed down by the State for a drug conviction.
* 2005: The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, ruling it had been unsafe because the judge at the time failed to charge the jury in relation to the presumption of innocence, and because of the way the case was presented to the jury.
* 2005: A retrial was ordered and Scanlon walked free after serving six and a half years of the 22-year sentence.
* 2005: In October, the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to proceed with a retrial.

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