Courts / Dublin / Report

Chinese national lived under false name for years

Summary

Wenzi Wang, 38, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges including providing a false birth certificate for a passport application in Co Donegal in May 2009, six counts of deception in Co Dublin and Co Meath between 2010 and 2017, two counts of giving false information to a registrar in Co Dublin, and possession of an air rifle, ammunition, and Garda Síochána-resembling apparel at his address in November 2017. Prosecution evidence alleged Wang lived under the false name Sau Kee Lee for eight years after purchasing another person's Northern Irish birth certificate to obtain an Irish passport and other documents. Defence counsel submitted that Wang was a model citizen who paid taxes and committed no other offences while using the alias. The court heard that an investigation began after Wang registered his second child's birth under his real name, leading to a search of his home where false documentation and the disputed items were found. Wang admitted to gardaí that he bought the apparel for a Halloween costume and the air rifle from a friend, never using it. Judge Pauline Codd ordered a report from the Probation Service and adjourned the matter for finalisation to July 5. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Chinese national lived under false name for years. Charges or matters: having a jumper and epaulettes resembling those of An Garda Síochána; providing a birth certificate he knew to be false in connection with a passport application at a Garda Station in Co Donegal on May 25, 2009; six counts of deception at locations in Co Dublin and Co Meath on dates between October 8, 2010 and April 18, 2017, and to two counts of giving a registrar false information at locations in Co Dublin on September 7, 2010 and July 28, 2011; possession of an air rifle and ammunition, and to possession of a jumper and epaulettes closely resembling those of An Garda Síochána, all at his address on November 13, 2017. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• May 25, 2009 Other
• October 8, 2010 Incident
• April 18, 2017 Incident
• September 7, 2010 Incident
• July 28, 2011 Incident
• November 13, 2017 Incident
• June 2017 Other
• October 2016 Other
• November 2017 Incident
• January 2017 Other
• July 5 Adjournment
• 2021-04-21 Publication

Why: Counsel said his client's wife borrowed money from her friends in order to pay off the mortgage on their house which is now registered in her name only. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Related court reports

• Murderer argues he was 'out of control' following Christmas Eve steakhouse shooting
• State drops all charges against double killer Derek Boyd's partner
• Driver who switched off headlights in effort to evade gardai fails in sentence appeal
• Derek Boyd now a double killer as jury finds him of guilty of murder
• Murder accused's previous conviction for manslaughter of sister can only be used if relevant, judge charges jury
• Not a 'shred of evidence' that Derek Boyd's girlfriend knew nature of injury to deceased man, defence tell trial

Read the original CNI report