Courts / Meath / Report

International crime gang taking in over €12m per year, seized ledgers show

Date
2022-05-05

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Ashbourne

County
Meath

Summary

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Ross Hanway and Patrick Lawlor pleaded guilty to possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020, which was alleged to be the proceeds of crime. Detective Garda Ronan Dillon testified that ledgers seized from an international crime gang showed the group generated over €12 million in 2019 and paid Hanway an average of €4,000 monthly to move cash. Gardaí arrested both men after observing Lawlor enter a taxi driven by Hanway; the rucksack contained the seized cash. Lawlor, who also faces a separate drug possession charge, is scheduled for sentencing on May 9. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned Hanway's sentencing to October 6 and ordered a probation report. Defence counsel highlighted Hanway's lack of prior convictions, his subsequent departure from the taxi trade, and his current drug-free status. The court noted that Hanway's involvement was limited to money-laundering, distinct from the gang's drug operations. The matter was adjourned, and no final sentence was imposed at this stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: International crime gang taking in over €12m per year, seized ledgers show. Charges or matters: the same offence as Hanway; possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020 which was the proceeds of crime. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

May 26, 2020 Incident
May 9 Incident
October 6 Adjournment
2022-05-05 Publication

Why: Gda Dillon explained that these encrypted phones have a separate network and server to ordinary phones and are used by crime gangs to communicate with each other. CNI source report

Case subjects

Patrick Lawlor

Co Accused

Charges: the same offence as Hanway (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Melanie Greally adjourned Hanway's sentencing to October 6 and ordered a probation report.

Ross Hanway

Convicted Person

Charges: possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020 which was the proceeds of crime; the same offence as Hanway (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Ross Hanway, of The Beeches, Archerstown Demense, Ashbourne, Co Meath, will be sentenced later after he pleaded guilty to possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020 which was the proceeds of crime.; Judge Melanie Greally adjourned Hanway's sentencing to October 6 and ordered a probation report.