Courts / Tipperary / Report
"A conscientious tax payer": Lowry and company fined €25k over tax offences
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Independent TD Michael Lowry and his company Garuda Ltd were convicted of two charges each of filing incorrect corporation tax returns and of failing to keep proper accounts. Judge Martin Nolan, after the jury's verdict, ruled that a custodial sentence would be inappropriate and imposed a total fine of €25,000 – €15,000 on Lowry personally and €10,000 on Garuda – and disqualified Lowry from acting as a director for three years. The judge noted Lowry's lack of prior convictions, his role as a good employer and public representative, and his earlier payment of a €1.4 million tax bill in 2007. The case involved alleged concealment of a €372,000 commission paid in 2002, which was later re‑mortgaged by Lowry to settle the tax bill. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: "A conscientious tax payer": Lowry and company fined €25k over tax offences. Charges or matters: four charges of filing incorrect tax returns on dates between August 2002 and August 2007 in relation to a sum of Stg £248,624 received by his company, Garuda Ltd and one charge in relation to failing to keep a proper set of accounts on dates between 28 August, 2002 and August 3, 2007. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 2002 Other
- August 2007 Other
- 28 August Other
- August 3, 2007 Other
- 31 December 2002 Other
- 31 December Other
- August 28, 2002 Other
- August 2013 Other
- April 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2018-06-26 Publication
Why: "Whatever was his motive for the 2006 actions, it was not to evade tax," Judge Nolan said, before he added that "honest tax returns are very important" in terms of self-assessment of tax. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: four charges of filing incorrect tax returns on dates between August 2002 and August 2007 in relation to a sum of Stg £248,624 received by his company, Garuda Ltd and one charge in relation to failing to keep a proper set of accounts on dates between 28 August, 2002 and August 3, 2007 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Independent TD Michael Lowry and his refrigeration company have been fined a total of €25,000 for tax offences after a judge ruled that a custodial sentence would be "inappropriate".
Places mentioned
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