Jonathan Harding jailed for money laundering; Carol Davis given suspended sentence

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jonathan Harding was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to six years and nine months, with 18 months suspended, for money laundering. His partner, Carol Davis, received a three-year suspended sentence.

Davis pleaded guilty to money laundering offences. The proceedings were reported on 15 December 2020.

The couple were sentenced for laundering almost €500,000 through five bank accounts over five years for the Kinahan organised crime group. Between 2012 and 2016, more than €470,000 was lodged to the accounts and over €422,000 was withdrawn.

The court heard that Davis did not know what Harding had been doing. She told gardaí she believed he worked as a mobile mechanic and thought the money moving through her accounts came from his business. The court accepted that she was reckless in giving him access to her accounts.

Harding accepted responsibility for the money laundering and for using Davis's accounts without her knowledge. Mr Justice Tony Hunt said money laundering services provided by people such as Harding and Davis were essential to organised crime gangs.