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Criminal who offered bribe for garda intelligence fails in sentence appeal
Summary
Ryan Fitzpatrick, aged 27, pleaded guilty last year to perverting the course of justice by attempting to destroy a mobile phone linked to a SIM card in Malahide on 27 May 2020, and to corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to influence her employment. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final three months suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan. Fitzpatrick's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The court rejected the argument that he should be treated more leniently than the civilian employee who received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for providing the intelligence. The judge noted Fitzpatrick's conduct was corrupt and highly aggravated, including the destruction of evidence and absconding from justice, and that the sentence was well within the sentencing judge's margin of appreciation. Fitzpatrick had 30 previous convictions and had fled Ireland after the raid, later being extradited to face the charges.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Criminal who offered bribe for garda intelligence fails in sentence appeal. Charges or matters: a count of corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement to access garda intelligence and a count of obtaining and disclosing garda intelligence files to a third party on dates in May 2020; corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to convince her to do an act in relation to her employment on a date unknown. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- May 27, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2020 Other
- 2025-02-04 Publication
Why: The motive for the corrupt activity on Fitzpatrick's part was for "personal benefit", the judge noted, either through facilitating "the commission of crime" or the "evasion of detection" in past crime. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: a count of corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement to access garda intelligence and a count of obtaining and disclosing garda intelligence files to a third party on dates in May 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Nolan imposed a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence on the corruption count, with the second charge taken into consideration.
Convicted Person
Charges: corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to convince her to do an act in relation to her employment on a date unknown; a count of corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement to access garda intelligence and a count of obtaining and disclosing garda intelligence files to a third party on dates in May 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: In April last year Fitzpatrick, who has 30 previous convictions, was sentenced to four years with the final three months suspended by Judge Martin Nolan.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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