A former football manager is appealing his conviction after a court found he played a role in a €2.769 million heroin smuggling enterprise in Dublin. Andrew Noonan (47), a former manager of Bluebell United, was convicted in May 2025 of offences connected to drugs seized over a controlled delivery on 5 August 2020, and is now challenging that verdict at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Noonan denies any responsibility for the drugs. His lawyers say evidence used against him painted him as a “sophisticated importer of drugs” in a way that prejudiced the jury. The court heard gardaí posed as delivery men to carry out a controlled delivery to Noonan’s co-accused, Keith Quinn (37). Prosecutors believe Noonan had a supervisory role and placed him “high” in the overall context of the operation. Quinn pleaded guilty and received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence in 2021, with the final three and a half years suspended. That sentence was later increased by the Court of Appeal to eight years, with 18 months suspended, and Quinn has since been released. At Noonan’s trial, Quinn gave defence evidence that Noonan had no responsibility. Quinn said he lied about the parcel contents when he asked to use an office for storage. Noonan was convicted on three offences covering possession, sale and supply of heroin at Rosemount Business Park, Dublin 11. The judge also considered that Noonan was found with a phone containing an encrypted application, Enigma, which gave rise to a reasonable inference it was connected to a drugs trafficking offence. He was acquitted of possessing a signal blocker. Noonan told the court he was simply facilitating a friend regarding storage of equipment for a sick child. The sentencing judge, Judge Elma Sheahan, said Noonan was in a position of trust and influence over young men, actively engaged in the project and motivated by financial gain. On appeal, Mark Lynam SC for Noonan argued the judge erred by allowing email and other material taken from mobile phones to be shown to the jury. He said the emails included inquiries with logistics and distribution companies about shipping from Spain and Holland, and an exchange between Noonan, using an alias, and Quinn about transporting “beauty products”. Noonan told investigators the emails were connected to him acting as a “secret shopper”, and said some references related to tobacco. Lynam also challenged opinion evidence given by a member of An Garda Síochána about references in messages to “match balls” and “boots”, arguing the officer should not have been allowed to give an expert interpretation central to the case. He further argued that the Enigma-related charge should have ended in a not-guilty direction because the app had not been used for five months, and that Quinn should not have had to continue giving evidence after he was no longer fit to do so. The DPP, represented by John Berry SC, said the communications showed Noonan used false names, lied in garda interviews, had access to devices he claimed he did not have, and was trying to create a smokescreen between him and the truth. Noonan’s appeal hearing continues in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.