Sandra Hehir jailed for €124,055 money laundering

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

Sandra Hehir was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to three years and six months in prison, with the final year suspended for two years. She must be of good behaviour during that period or face a return to prison for a further year. The sentence was reported on 27 February 2024.

Hehir pleaded guilty in October 2023 to laundering money at her Limerick home. The charge concerned €124,055 that she handled, acquired and/or possessed there on 17 June 2020, knowing or believing, or being reckless as to whether, the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Prosecuting counsel Fiona Murphy SC said five other counts could be taken into consideration and that a nolle prosequi would be entered in due course on three further counts.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said Hehir knew the money in her attic and bank accounts she controlled was the proceeds of crime. He said she had not played an active part in the Keane group’s criminal activity but was not passive in laundering its proceeds. He also noted evidence that she had lied to gardaí about the money’s source and had carried out numerous financial transactions over a significant period.

Sergeant Cathal O'Sullivan said the cash was found in 13 bundles in the attic during a search on 17 June 2020. Hehir told gardaí it came from savings made since her husband died. At a previous hearing, defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC said her late husband had told her the money came from gambling, but she accepted that, in all probability, it came from crime. He said she denied criminal involvement and expressed regret.

The court noted her early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and good employment record as a hairdresser. A probation report said she was unlikely to reoffend and had no addiction or mental health issues.