Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for man caught with bales of criminal proceeds cash

Date
2018-07-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Glen Byrne, aged 40, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for possessing €350,000 in criminal proceeds. The money was found in seven bales, each about €50,000, wrapped in masking tape and stored in a box inside a van driven by Byrne. The court described the operation as "planned and very well executed" and noted that Byrne had no financial duress, no declared drug addiction or debts, and had a strong work history. Judge Martina Baxter suspended the final six months of the sentence, citing Byrne's lack of prior convictions, his early guilty plea, and supportive letters. The case involved co‑accused Paul Carew, who had earlier been jailed for eight years for related money‑laundering offences. The possession of the cash was discovered during a surveillance operation targeting large organised crime. Byrne's sentence was back‑dated to 19 June 2017, the date he entered custody.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for man caught with bales of criminal proceeds cash. Charges or matters: possessing the cash at Dublin Auto Prestige Carwash on the Greenhills Road on June 24, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 24, 2017 Incident
June 19, 2108 Incident
2018-07-02 Publication

Case subjects

Glen Byrne

Defendant

Charges: possessing the cash at Dublin Auto Prestige Carwash on the Greenhills Road on June 24, 2017 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Passing sentence today, Judge Martina Baxter said Byrne had been part of a "planned and very well executed operation". Byrne's sentence was backdated to June 19, 2108 when he went into custody.

Paul Carew

Convicted Person

Outcome: Paul Carew (41), of Saggart Court Ledge, Saggart, was jailed for eight years earlier this year for his role in this and two separate money-laundering offences.