Courts / Westmeath / Report

Fake garage bought cars with forged bank drafts, court hears

Summary

James Flanagan, 56, applied for weekend work advertised on Jobs.ie by a fake garage. He was tasked with picking up and dropping off cars for the garage, earning €50 to €200 per job. Flanagan pleaded guilty to producing a false instrument at Athlone train station on 27 September 2013. He met Emmet Lyons, who offered a car for sale, and handed over a forged bank draft of €13,800. The garage then advertised the car again, and Flanagan later met a woman at Jack White's Pub who paid €9,000 for the car. The woman was allowed to keep the car as she bought it in good faith. Lyons suffered a loss of €13,800 and could not recover it through insurance. Flanagan will be sentenced later; the case was adjourned to 25 July for sentencing. The prosecution said Flanagan acted recklessly rather than intentionally. The court noted Flanagan's financial difficulties and recent family losses.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Fake garage bought cars with forged bank drafts, court hears. Charges or matters: production of a false instrument at Athlone train station, Westmeath on September 27, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 27, 2013 Adjournment
• July 25 Adjournment
• 2016-02-19 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report