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'Courier' left rucksack with €200,000 at feet of co-accused
Summary
Paul Finnegan, 37, of Grand Canal Bank, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing criminal proceeds. On 30 November 2020, CCTV captured him placing a rucksack containing €199,900 at the feet of a Dutch national in a Santry café. Garda surveillance confirmed the bag held bundles of €50 and €20 notes, some vacuum‑packed, and a baseball cap with Finnegan's DNA. The Dutch national remains untried, with a European arrest warrant pending. Finnegan had 18 prior District Court convictions from Northern Ireland. His defence argued he acted as a courier, citing a letter from his partner noting behavioural change and a forthcoming child. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the illicit nature of the cash and, after considering mitigating factors, set a headline sentence of six years, reduced to four years. The sentence reflects the money‑laundering offence, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the four‑year term.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Courier' left rucksack with €200,000 at feet of co-accused. Charges or matters: having property – the proceeds of crime – at a shopping centre in Santry, Dublin 9, on November 30, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 30, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-03-24 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: having property – the proceeds of crime – at a shopping centre in Santry, Dublin 9, on November 30, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He set a headline sentence of six years and reduced this to four years having taken into account mitigating factors including his plea of guilty and lack of serious convictions.
Places mentioned
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