Courts / Dublin / Report
Three men to be sentenced over NCT scam for "unroadworthy" cars
Summary
Three men – Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) – were arrested after a Garda investigation into a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary that exposed a scheme to pass unroadworthy vehicles at a Dublin NCT centre. Richardson, then an NCT inspector, was approached by Rooney to pass two Toyota Carinas that had previously failed the test. The men were to receive €100, but no money was exchanged. Richardson then asked Brunton to issue a false NCT certificate for one vehicle, while a fourth man, Darren Meehan (40), was approached to pass the second vehicle and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false certificate. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting cash from Rooney; Brunton pleaded guilty to forgery for creating a false certificate. All three men fully cooperated with the Garda investigation and expressed remorse.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Three men to be sentenced over NCT scam for "unroadworthy" cars. Charges or matters: producing a false NCT certificate; one charge of forgery of a NCT certificate and one charge of corruption in that he accepted or obtained €100 as an inducement or reward for securing a NCT certificate on April 20, 2011; the same forgery charge and a charge of corruption in that he accepted a gift of cash from Stephen Rooney as an inducement or reward for a NCT certificate; one charge of forgery, making a false NCT certificate on April 20, 2011. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 20, 2011 Other
- May 2011 Other
- 2017-02-22 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: producing a false NCT certificate; one charge of forgery of a NCT certificate and one charge of corruption in that he accepted or obtained €100 as an inducement or reward for securing a NCT certificate on April 20, 2011; the same forgery charge and a charge of corruption in that he accepted a gift of cash from Stephen Rooney as an inducement or reward for a NCT certificate; one charge of forgery, making a false NCT certificate on April 20, 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He remanded them all on continuing bail to next Monday for sentence.
Accused
Charges: producing a false NCT certificate; one charge of forgery of a NCT certificate and one charge of corruption in that he accepted or obtained €100 as an inducement or reward for securing a NCT certificate on April 20, 2011; the same forgery charge and a charge of corruption in that he accepted a gift of cash from Stephen Rooney as an inducement or reward for a NCT certificate; one charge of forgery, making a false NCT certificate on April 20, 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He said a custodial sentence would greatly affect Rooney's life with his wife and two young children, as without his current wages they wouldn't be able to afford the mortgage. "He knows the risks he has put his family in and he is determined to live a blameless life from now on," Mr Fitzgerald submitted.; He remanded them all on continuing bail to next Monday for sentence.
Accused
Charges: producing a false NCT certificate; one charge of forgery of a NCT certificate and one charge of corruption in that he accepted or obtained €100 as an inducement or reward for securing a NCT certificate on April 20, 2011; the same forgery charge and a charge of corruption in that he accepted a gift of cash from Stephen Rooney as an inducement or reward for a NCT certificate; one charge of forgery, making a false NCT certificate on April 20, 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He remanded them all on continuing bail to next Monday for sentence.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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