Courts / Limerick / Report

Notorious criminal Gerard Mackin fails in crime cash sentence appeal

Date
2024-05-07

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

Gerard Mackin, with a previous address at Rhebogue Road in Limerick, has failed in his appeal against a three-and-a-half year sentence for money laundering. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on May 7th, 2024. Mackin had pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing €4,780 as proceeds of criminal conduct, found wrapped in bubble wrap alongside two mobile phones, one capable of data encryption. His counsel argued the sentence was excessive and that insufficient credit had been given for his guilty plea, work history, and personal circumstances. However, Mr Justice John Edwards found the Special Criminal Court was entitled to consider Mackin's involvement in crime as significant rather than peripheral. The judge noted Mackin had provided false explanations regarding the money's source and rejected arguments that the 25 per cent reduction afforded was inadequate. The appeal against the severity of sentence was accordingly dismissed.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Notorious criminal Gerard Mackin fails in crime cash sentence appeal. Charges or matters: laundering €4,780 as the proceeds of criminal behaviour at Rhebogue Road in Limerick, on April 17, 2019; knowing or believing, or being reckless as to whether property, €4,780, was the proceeds of criminal conduct, did handle, acquire and/or possess the said property contrary to Section 7 of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act of 2010; the murder at Bog Meadow, Falls Road, Belfast on March 12, 2007. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

December 2022 Incident
April 17, 2019 Incident
March 2023 Incident
January 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
March 12, 2007 Hearing Or Sentence
July 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
May 18 Hearing Or Sentence
2024-05-07 Publication

Case subjects

Gerard Mackin

Defendant

Charges: laundering €4,780 as the proceeds of criminal behaviour at Rhebogue Road in Limerick, on April 17, 2019; knowing or believing, or being reckless as to whether property, €4,780, was the proceeds of criminal conduct, did handle, acquire and/or possess the said property contrary to Section 7 of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act of 2010; the murder at Bog Meadow, Falls Road, Belfast on March 12, 2007 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Imposing sentence at the Special Criminal Court last May, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that Mackin handled the money "in the context of some form of serious organised criminality in the Limerick area". At the Court of Appeal today Michael O'Higgins SC, for Mackin, argued that the overall sentence imposed by the court was "excessive", the headline sentence of four years and eight months was "overly severe" and that the court erred in failing to suspend a portion of the sentence having regard to the mitigating factors in the case.