Courts / Louth / Report

Third defendant arrested after investigation into serious organised crime pleads guilty

Summary

Thomas Rooney, 41, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing property that is the proceeds of criminal conduct. He admitted to having a blue Nike bag containing €289,770 and £65,025 (€70,207) in cash at Spar, Donore Road, Drogheda, on May 11, 2020. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, remanded Rooney on continuing bail, listing a sentence hearing for October 4. Defence counsel cited a potential lung transplant for Rooney. Rooney was also charged with possessing €254,840 in a black bag and €7,650 in cash on the same date. His former partner, Catherine Dawson, 44, previously pleaded guilty to two counts related to moving over €600,000 in crime cash. She was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, fully suspended for five years, with the court noting her primary care responsibilities for her son. Co-accused Jason Reed, 40, pleaded guilty to money laundering and possessing proceeds of crime, including the cash in the blue Nike bag and €32,330 and £390 (€441) found at his home. The court found Reed to be a trusted, high-level member of a transnational criminal organisation and sentenced him to seven years in prison. All three were arrested in May last year following a Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau operation in Drogheda.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Third defendant arrested after investigation into serious organised crime pleads guilty. Charges or matters: having over €350k in crime cash; two counts on the indictment after she was caught moving over €600,000 in crime cash; money laundering and possessing the proceeds of crime at the car park, when he was in possession of €289,770 in euro and £62,025 (€70,207) in cash in a blue Nike bag; money laundering at his home address after €32,330 and £390 (€441) was found there on May 11 of last year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 11, 2020 Incident
• September 13 Adjournment
• October 4 Adjournment
• May 11 Incident
• 2021-07-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Fraud Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report