Courts / Kilkenny / Report
Man who continued €500k online machinery scam after being caught has sentence increased
Summary
Martin Holden, 52, of Garrigue, Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny, was found guilty of multiple thefts over a five‑year period from 2007 to 2012. He advertised non‑existent heavy machinery on internet sites, offering competitive prices and claiming to arrange overseas shipping. He collected deposits from 17 victims worldwide, ranging from €2,000 to €40,000, and transferred the money to Lithuania. The High Court ordered his extradition to Lithuania, but the order was stayed until he served his sentence. On appeal, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence from four years with the final year suspended to four years and eight months imprisonment. The judge noted that Holden resumed the same pattern of fraud while on bail and that the offence was serious, elaborate and carried out over five years. The sentence was deemed unduly lenient and was accordingly increased.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man who continued €500k online machinery scam after being caught has sentence increased. Charges or matters: a number of counts of theft over a five-year period from 2007 to 2012; matters that happened in Kilkenny. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- November 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2010 Incident
- 2007 to 2012 Other
- 2018-03-05 Publication
Why: He came before the court on 10 bills of indictment – five from Kilkenny and five from Waterford because bank accounts were being operated in those counties. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: a number of counts of theft over a five-year period from 2007 to 2012; matters that happened in Kilkenny (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended in November 2016. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions successfully sought a review of Holden's sentence today and he was accordingly jailed for four years and eight months.
Places mentioned
- Kilkenny
- Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court
- The High Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
Related court reports
- Former Christian Brothers accused of breach of duty to be named in national newspaper
- High Court to consider publishing names of 340 former Christian Brothers
- Judge should have convicted drivers caught like 'fish in a barrel' in 'unjust speed zone'
- Disabled snooker player acquitted of assaulting Carlow gardaí
- Mayo jury returns insanity verdict in telecoms damage case
- Musician gets 16.5 years for repeatedly raping then-wife and her sister
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request