Courts / Sligo / Report
Construction worker jailed for part in tax fraud scheme
Summary
A construction worker from Sligo has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his involvement in a tax fraud scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Martin Stokes, aged 35, pleaded guilty in April 2016 to charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, including forgery and deception, relating to offences committed in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was one of five people who registered as contractors while falsely undertaking to remit tax payments on behalf of sub-contractors. Revenue issued approximately €107,000 in tax refunds and credits to bank accounts controlled by another individual, which were subsequently withdrawn via ATMs. Stokes failed to appear for sentencing in June 2016 and was arrested abroad before being returned to Ireland. Judge Martin Nolan described the scheme as relatively sophisticated and noted it exploited weaknesses in the contractor tax system. Stokes, who has previous convictions for dangerous driving, deception and counterfeiting, was credited with character references and community contributions, resulting in a reduction from an indicative sentence of five years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Construction worker jailed for part in tax fraud scheme. Charges or matters: a number of charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, including forgery and deception. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2016 Adjournment
- 2008 and 2011 Incident
- 2020-04-29 Publication
Why: Keith Spencer BL, defending, previously told Judge Nolan that his client could not be brought to court because he was being held in quarantine as part of Prison Service policy cocooning all new prisoners for 14 days. Defence account reported by CNI
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: a number of charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, including forgery and deception (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Stokes, with a former address at Woodford Heights, Clondalkin, Dublin failed to appear for a sentence hearing in June 2016 and a judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest. He said Stokes was a good family man who had made contributions to the community and he reduced an indicative sentence of five years imprisonment to three years.; He was arrested a fortnight ago while travelling around during the Covid-19 lockdown and remanded into custody for sentencing today.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Fraud Road Traffic Stage Sentence Theft
Related court reports
- Courier who claimed pay unlawfully docked over garage door mishap wins wages back
- Doctor gets 10 years for rape, control and assaults on wife
- Judge rejects Gill's arguments against extradition for Robbie Lawlor murder
- Trial of garda accused of rape and child cruelty in closing stages
- Sligo man Barry Young wanted in NI for gangland murder of Robbie Lawlor
- Robbie Lawlor murder accused argues UK trial would breach his rights
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request