Courts / Dublin / Report

Convicted bag man caught with €900k in crime cash asks for more legal aid

Summary

Patrick Lawlor, 59, a convicted bagman for an organised crime gang, has applied to the High Court for additional free legal aid to secure a quantity surveyor's valuation of his home as he contests a Criminal Assets Bureau bid to seize the property. Lawlor was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in October 2022 for his role in a money‑laundering operation that generated almost €12 million in 2019. He and another convicted man were paid monthly by the gang to handle large sums of cash before their arrest. Gardaí seized just under €900 000 at Lawlor's home. In July, the High Court granted the Lawlors free legal aid to challenge the CAB's valuation of their Collins Avenue West house, approving €4 000 for a surveyor's report. At this week's hearing, Andrew McKeown BL requested an increase to €10 000, citing that nine surveyors had been contacted without success. The application was adjourned to November. Patrick Lawlor pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted bag man caught with €900k in crime cash asks for more legal aid. Charges or matters: possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020 which was the proceeds of crime; possession of €477,370 in cash, £6,920 Sterling, 1,940 Romanian Lei (approximately €400), 187 Ukrainian Hryvnia Lei (approximately €5) and $3,295 US Dollars. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• October 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 26, 2020 Incident
• 2010 and 2020 Other
• 2025-10-16 Publication

Why: A convicted bagman for an organised crime gang has asked the High Court for more free legal aid in order to have a quantity surveyor value his home as he fights a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) bid to seize the property. CNI source report

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Read the original CNI report