Bail is refused for couple arrested in £65k drugs swoop

A COUPLE arrested after police targeting paramilitaries seized drugs worth £65,000 have been refused bail.

Julie-Anne Knell (43) and Matthew Magowan (40) yesterday appeared separately in the dock of Newtownards Magistrates Court.

Bangor woman Knell, from Ballyvester Grove and Magowan, of Carnalea Place, Belfast, are both charged with seven offences including having class cocaine and cannabis, having the class A and B drugs with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of class A and B drugs.

The pair are also charged with possessing criminal property with all the offences alleged to have been committed on October 22 this year.

Refusing to free them on bail, District Judge Mark Hamill said the pair were “inextricably linked” and described the seizure as a “major drugs find”.

Police from the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) found cocaine with an estimated street value of £55,000 and cannabis worth £10,000 during searches in Bangor, Newtownabbey and Millisle.

Officers also seized a vehicle and £10,000 in cash.

Opposing bail, a police sergeant connected Knell and Magowan to the charges and said the couple were ‘common law husband and wife’ and had a five-year-old child.

He said the Paramilitary Crime Task Force carried out a series of pro-active searches linked to paramilitaries, including at Knell’s Ballyvester Grove address and at a caravan park.

The police sergeant said that a large quantity of class A drugs, namely cocaine, and the class B drugs cannabis and cannabis resin were found, as well as £10,000 in cash.

Drugs paraphernalia, including weighing scales and ‘dealer’ bags were also located.

The police sergeant said

Magowan gave a “no comment” response when asked about the drugs and the cash seized during four police interviews.

He said that if bail was granted, police believed there would be a serious risk of reoffending as Magowan was believed to be working with local paramilitaries.

He claimed Magowan was “in debt to these people” and he would have to “recoup that loss” in this “drug enterprise”.

The police officer said Magowan had 127 previous convictions including eight relevant drug-related offences.

Magowan’s defence solicitor Conal Nolan stated that his client was not a paramilitary and his criminal record was “largely, mostly driving offences”.

Judge Hamill refused bail due to the risk of reoffending and remanded Magowan into custody.

In a separate bail hearing for Knell, police again opposed the application.

The police sergeant said that Knell had given three “no comment” interviews to police but stated in the fourth that she was “under duress from local paramilitaries” and had been “under duress for four years”.

Mr Hamill again refused bail stating this was a “significant drugs find”.

The couple will appear again, via video-link, on November 15.