Barry Kindregan jailed for corrupt passport payments

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Barry Kindregan was jailed for two years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 11 March 2016. He pleaded guilty to four sample charges: possession of a false passport and three charges of corruptly agreeing to accept cash as a reward for providing a passport. The charges concerned dates between 1 August 2012 and July 2013. The proceedings were reported on 11 March 2016.

The clerical officer received €12,500 to process five passports for foreign nationals who were not entitled to them. He also organised passports for two other people without receiving the agreed payment. He ultimately delivered seven completed passports to his colleague.

Judge Melanie Greally noted his excellent family background and genuine remorse, but said these had to be balanced against the serious nature of the offence. She said he had been in a position of trust and had made no enquiries about the intended recipients of the passports, so a custodial sentence was necessary.

Detective Garda Joanne O’Sullivan agreed that Kindregan contacted gardaí himself, following his arrest for the first two passports, to admit that he had processed a further five. She also agreed that he had not received payment for the first two passports.