A 44‑year‑old recovering addict, Albert Redmond, was sentenced to 12½ years in prison for a spree of 20 burglaries, two criminal damage offences, three counts of possession of stolen credit cards, a handbag theft and four deception counts involving stolen cards. The crimes, committed between October 2019 and March 2020 in south Dublin, were linked to a relationship that began after his release from prison. Redmond claimed he had devised strategies to avoid relapse, but the relationship introduced him to a partner with a crack cocaine problem, leading to drug use and further offences. Judge Elma Sheahan, after a probation report, imposed the sentence and suspended the final four and a half years on the condition that Redmond engage with the Probation Service and drug counselling programmes upon release. The judge noted his past drug‑free period in 1996 and his desire to remain drug‑free while in custody.
Patrick Russell, a former barrister aged 57, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, for stealing €235,000 from businessman Paul O'Connell. Russell pretended to arrange the purchase of a warehouse in Co Kildare for O'Connell, using forged deeds and false documents to convince the victim to transfer €15,000 and €5,000 to a UK account and an account in his wife's name, and to pay an additional €215,000 to solicitors who believed the documents were genuine. The solicitors and O'Connell's family later reported the fraud to Gardaí. Russell pleaded guilty to the theft in March 2019 and had previously been struck off the bar in 2012 for professional misconduct. The judge noted Russell's limited criminal history, his cardiac condition, and his willingness to restore the stolen sum, but imposed a custodial sentence because he had not made tangible efforts to return the money. The €215,000 remains frozen in AIB.
Olusegun Olusanya, aged 24, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an 18‑month suspended sentence for his role in a €10,000 transfer that was part of a larger $950,000 phishing fraud. He was 19 when he allowed his bank account to be used by others to receive €10,000, which he then withdrew in six transactions and handed to two individuals. Olusanya pleaded guilty to converting, transferring, handling, acquiring or possessing the €10,000, which was the proceeds of crime. He admitted he was not the organiser of the fraud and that he had been asked by someone staying with him to use his account. The judge noted he had no prior convictions and that he had been offered money, but he had not profited greatly. The court imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence as his first and last chance.
Tracey McManus, 47, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for a rent‑relief fraud that left her owing over €73,000 to Revenue. She pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of claiming relief from income tax for periods in 2009 and 2012, and to two counts of producing false receipts for medical and dental treatments she had not undergone. McManus had submitted receipts claiming €12,000 for IVF and €4,700 for dental work, and a claim for rent relief for an address she did not occupy between 2005 and 2008. She had also made a legitimate rent‑relief claim for 2009. Revenue Inspector Bernadette Dorigan said McManus was identified after a random spot check. The judge described her conduct as an orchestrated, pre‑meditated campaign for personal enrichment, suspended the final six months of the sentence on strict conditions, and noted the debt remains outstanding.
Mark Adams, a 41‑year‑old former airport policeman and male model, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for laundering over €1 million. He pleaded guilty to handling €582,045 of criminal proceeds at Dublin Airport on 11 September 2015 and to laundering €227,130 at Bank of Ireland, €298,280 at PTSB, Malahide and €78,990 at Bank of Ireland Credit Card Centre between January 2012 and March 2017. Customs officials intercepted him at the airport with a concealed sum of cash, and a subsequent investigation uncovered €604,400 deposited into three accounts linked to Adams. He had no prior convictions, was a father, and was on a waiting list for treatment for drug and gambling dependencies. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the five‑year term without suspension, citing the seriousness of money laundering and Adams' capacity for reform. The court noted he had not used his former policing role to facilitate the offences.
Samantha Sinnott, a 41‑year‑old midwife at Wexford General Hospital, was convicted of a money‑laundering offence and received a 12‑month suspended prison sentence in February 2020. She claims she was dismissed by the HSE after the sentencing, despite having continued to work, been promoted, and given a new contract. Sinnott alleges the HSE failed to investigate her case, did not interview her, and dismissed her on the basis of her conviction without proper procedure. She has filed a High Court judicial review seeking to quash the dismissal, arguing it was unreasonable, irrational, disproportionate, and violated her constitutional and ECHR rights. The court granted permission ex‑parte, and the case is set for a December hearing. Samantha Sinnott pleaded guilty.
At the Special Criminal Court, Carol Davis, 45, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and terrorist financing for the period 2014‑2016. She admitted knowingly converting, using, transferring, taking possession of or handling money that was the proceeds of crime, via an EBS account in her own name. The plea covers the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Davis is the second person to plead guilty in this case; the first was Jonathan Harding, 48, who pleaded guilty to five similar counts. Davis was remanded on bail until 9 November, while Harding was remanded in custody until the same date. The case involves 20 offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2010, of which three were accepted by the State for the specified period. The court will hear full facts in the case.
The High Court granted interim injunctions to brothers Gary and David McGuinness, who claim they are victims of an alleged €1.25m fraud by US-based David Morrisroe. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds ordered that Mr Morrisroe be restrained from dissipating assets valued below €1.25m and must provide information on his worldwide assets. The applicants allege that in 2015 and 2016, they invested funds with Mr Morrisroe for Irish and European property and precious gems, but believe no such investments were made. Gary McGuinness stated that information provided by the defendant was largely untrue, including claims about specific properties in Meath and Dublin. David McGuinness alleged that funds transferred for a diamond deal in Kenya were instead used to repay a third-party debt owed by the defendant. The brothers reported the matter to An Garda Síochána. Mr Morrisroe was put on notice of the proceedings but did not attend court, nor were representations made on his behalf. The applicants are seeking orders directing the repayment of monies. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court in two weeks' time.
A 23‑year‑old Georgian national was sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for organising and distributing false identification cards and driving licences that enabled illegal immigrants to enter Ireland. He pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including possession of false documents, deception, money laundering and trafficking of illegal immigrants between 5 October 2017 and 23 May 2019. The court found he was a "vital cog" in a larger scheme that produced bogus identities for Georgian migrants, who paid him a total of €23,817 for the documents. He received the money, sorted the paperwork and sent the finished products back to clients via DHL or An Post. The judge noted his guilty plea, lack of serious prior convictions and his willingness to learn a lesson, and imposed the custodial sentence. The other three accused are yet to be listed for trial or plea.
A 25-year-old student has received a fully suspended 12-month sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering. Jonathan Angbalu pleaded guilty to facilitating the lodgement of a stolen and altered €9,000 cheque into his bank account between March 2016. Gardaí established that the cheque, originally issued by market research firm Millward Brown, was intercepted and modified before being deposited in Angbalu's account at Permanent TSB on St Stephen's Green. The account was subsequently frozen, and €6,094.50 was recovered. The court heard that Angbalu was approached by three men who promised him €2,000 to use his account for lodging and withdrawing funds. He was instructed not to display nervousness during withdrawals. Angbalu later realised the arrangement was fraudulent. He never received payment and withdrew only €700 before providing it to the men. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the sentence on strict conditions, noting his youth and lack of previous convictions. Angbalu brought €1,350 to court as an expression of remorse.
The widow of the late founder of the suicide‑prevention charity Console, Patricia Kelly, aged 59, appeared in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 9 October 2020. She was charged with two counts of fraudulent trading and one count of money laundering covering a ten‑year period from December 2006 to July 2016. The first fraudulent trading charge alleges that between 6 December 2006 and 31 May 2015 she knowingly participated in running Console Suicide Bereavement Counselling Ltd for a fraudulent purpose, misusing the company's property that was meant for its charitable objectives. The second charge covers 1 June 2015 to 14 July 2016 and repeats the same allegation. The money‑laundering charge alleges that between 1 September 2010 and 1 July 2016 she concealed the true nature, source, location, disposition or ownership of property of Console Ltd or acted recklessly regarding whether that property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
James McShane, 55, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to multiple thefts from the addiction charity LifeRing Ireland, of which he was a co‑founder, and to six false‑accounting charges and one deception charge. The thefts, occurring between 18 February 2013 and 21 September 2017, amounted to almost €36,000, which McShane has fully repaid by borrowing money from his brother and wife. He also repaid the money taken in the false‑accounting cases. McShane, who has no prior convictions, described the offences as "shameful" and offered a heartfelt apology. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting his status as a reformed alcoholic, imposed 200 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, recognising that the debt had been repaid in full. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further convictions or appeals reported.
David Nevin, 46, of Quay Road, Terryglass, Nenagh, Tipperary, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a series of fraud offences. He used forged bank statements and payslips to obtain a €40,000 loan and to lease an Audi A5. Nevin pleaded guilty to inducing the hand‑over of the car at Leaseplan in Dublin on 14 June 2018, to presenting a fake AIB statement at Leaseplan Fleet Management Services on 28 May 2018, to using a false payslip in a KBC credit‑card application, and to deceiving a staff member at the Bank of Ireland Operations Centre in Cabinteely to authorise the loan. He had previously repaid €5,500 and brought an additional €1,000 to court. The car was returned to the leasing company. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the offences were pre‑meditated and part of an "aspirational lifestyle." She imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final six months.
In September 2018, Bernard Joyce, 45, of Newtown, Beauparc, Slane, was found guilty of possessing €911,600, the proceeds of criminal conduct, under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Garda Stephen Burke described how the cash was concealed in two gear bags inside a hollow section of a camper van, wrapped in brown sellotape and surrounded by onions to deter a sniffer dog. The cash was recovered at Arnestown, Foulksmills, Co Wexford. Joyce pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on the condition of a €200 bond while in prison and after release for two years. The DPP appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient" and that the judge had not adequately considered the amount of cash, its concealment, and Joyce's attempt to flee. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement.
Farah Damji, a 54-year-old applicant residing at Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1, appeared before Mr Justice Tony Hunt to apply for bail while awaiting UK extradition proceedings. The State opposed the application, alleging Damji is a flight risk who fled a London trial in February 2024 after being convicted in absentia of breaching a restraining order. Detective Garda Eoin Kane stated Damji faces 27 months' imprisonment in the UK and alleged she entered Ireland using false documents and the name Anna Margaret Vignisdottir. Kane further noted her history of fraud and theft convictions dating back to 1995, and cited a UK psychiatrist report highlighting her "history of forgery" regarding claims of unlawful detention. Damji's counsel, Mr Leo Mulrooney BL, argued she is not a flight risk, citing a PTSD diagnosis and her adherence to previous bail conditions. In her direct evidence, Damji claimed she was suffering from a breakdown and asserted she had an unlawful detention case for 15 months' detention. She denied using false names for rental agreements, stating she did not have one. Mr Justice Hunt questioned the credibility of her claims, noting she disappeared during a trial. The matter was adjourned to Thursday, September 3, for the judge's decision on the bail application.
Stephen Power, director of SM Logistics, was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to four counts of filing incorrect end‑of‑year tax returns and four counts of failing to pay income tax between 2010 and 2013. He created bogus invoices purporting to be from a French consultancy that never worked for his company, using the money to pay mortgages on French property. The tax avoided was €47,700, including corporate and income tax. The case arose after a random audit of SM Logistics in 2012 and a personal audit of Power. Judge Martin Nolan noted that early cooperation with Revenue could have avoided prosecution. Power was sentenced to 18 months, with the final year suspended, and the company was fined €500. He has no prior convictions and has repaid the tax owed to Revenue.
An Albanian man, Emri Bardhoshi, fraudulently obtained Irish citizenship by pretending to be a Kosovan refugee, using a false identity that was five years younger than his actual age. He was granted Leave to Remain in 2007 and later naturalised under this false identity, also obtaining passports for himself and three of his four children. In 2017 he developed liver problems and feared that his understated age would affect treatment, prompting him to consult a solicitor and bring his case to authorities. He pleaded guilty to four offences related to passport fraud and a false declaration in his 2012 citizenship application. The Court of Appeal reduced his original 18‑month suspended sentence, imposing a total of three years in prison with nine months suspended, and required him to comply with conditions including a bond for good behaviour and a Garda visit on 1 September.
Sean Ruth, 31, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with eight offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act. The alleged offences occurred in the State between 1 January and 31 December 2016. The Book of Evidence was served in the court, and the case was adjourned to 5 October. The State did not object to a free legal aid application, which was granted, and Mr Ruth was remanded on continuing bail. In June, Detective Garda Paul Kane informed State Solicitor Ciara Vibien that a warrant had been executed for Mr Ruth, who is accused of making four lodgements into an AIB account and four into an account at St Canice's Credit Union, Kilkenny, with the accounts allegedly held in his name. The amounts of the lodgements were not disclosed in court.
Karim Haddouche, aged 49, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for stealing nearly €45,000 from Ulster Bank by lodging cheques that he knew would not clear. He had previously received a three‑year suspended sentence in July 2019 for stealing €15,000 from the same bank in January 2017. The €45,000 theft occurred between November 2016 and January 2017, and Haddouche was arrested on the new charges in October 2018. Judge Martin Nolan, who had imposed the suspended sentence earlier, said he would not have given a suspended sentence had he known about the additional theft. Haddouche pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing cash and three counts of deception. He has 16 prior convictions, all related to Ulster Bank thefts. The court noted that Haddouche had been a gambler who travelled to Ukraine for casinos and that he was a chef from Algeria whose father had recently died.
In a High Court hearing on 24 July 2020, the court discharged a €3.6 million Mareva freezing order that had been imposed on Instant Upright Ltd, a scaffolding and engineering products manufacturer. The order, obtained by Airscape Ltd – the landlord of a factory unit on Friel Avenue, Park West Industrial Estate – had prevented Instant Upright from reducing its assets below €3.6 million. Airscape had claimed that Instant Upright breached lease terms and had sought damages for alleged rent arrears and loss of future income. Instant Upright denied the claims, arguing the freezing order was an abuse of process and that its reputation and trading ability had been harmed. Thomas Hogan SC and Martin Canny BL argued that the court had been misled by nondisclosed evidence and that no fraud had been proven.
Atilla Tasgin, 41, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering offences. The defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of removing proceeds of criminal conduct from the State at various north Dublin addresses between June 17, 2013, and April 5, 2018. He also admitted to two counts of transferring such proceeds at unknown locations in the State on December 3, 2018, and January 21, 2019. Prosecution evidence indicated Tasgin transferred just under €10,000 to Turkey on behalf of an individual referred to as "the provider." While Tasgin acknowledged knowing the funds were proceeds of criminal conduct, the court accepted he was not involved in the underlying fraud and received no cash, only favours such as rent-free accommodation. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Tasgin to two years and three months in prison. However, she suspended the final nine months of the sentence, resulting in an effective custody period of 18 months. The judge cited his cooperation with the garda investigation and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
Sandra Kavanagh, aged 40, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of making a gain by deception for receiving €27,079 in rent supplement payments between 24 September 2015 and 7 June 2018. She had vacated the address at Kildonan Road, Finglas West, in August 2015 but continued to collect payments for that property. Detective Garda Jason Weir reported that Kavanagh had received 130 payments during the period. She has 67 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, knife production, public order and road traffic offences. The defence noted that a 2008 accident left her with significant physical injuries and that she has lived with friends and in hostels since leaving the address. Judge Pauline Codd ordered a probation report and adjourned the case for finalisation on 12 October.
Albert Redmond, 44, with 341 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to 20 burglaries, two counts of criminal damage, three counts of possession of stolen credit cards, theft of a handbag and four counts of deception by using stolen credit cards. He said he had planned to avoid relapse after his last release in June 2019 but did not anticipate falling in love. The relationship began soon after release, initially positive, but the partner's crack cocaine use became a feature of the relationship, leading Redmond to commit further offences. He was arrested in January 2020, released, then re‑arrested in March 2020 after a burglary at a café in Harolds Cross. He admitted all offences and stated he had not expected to return to court. Judge Elma Sheehan adjourned sentencing to 23 October 2020 to prepare a probation report. The burglaries mainly targeted cafés, restaurants, offices and shops, with some occurring in private houses.
John Cullen, aged 61, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a gain for himself by deception by lodging €155,724.68 into his own Bank of Ireland account on 1 December 2014. The money had been stolen from University College Cork and was described by the court as "undoubtedly fraudulently obtained." Cullen's role was to provide a bank account for the funds to be channeled, and he was said to have been "used by others" for a very small reward. Judge Melanie Greally characterised the offence as a "very serious lapse in judgement" and noted that the full restitution to UCC and the lack of actual loss were mitigating factors. She sentenced Cullen to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years.
John Lawrence, 29, was spared a prison sentence after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen caravan and driving dangerously in a high‑speed pursuit. The court heard that he had completed an addiction studies programme and was volunteering as a mentor in a prison after‑care programme, a role described as "inspiring" by professionals. Lawrence, from Drogheda, drove a Jeep towing a €12,000 caravan stolen from Hertfordshire, England, at speeds over 140 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, forcing gardaí and the public to avoid collisions. He had prior convictions for theft, deception and traffic offences. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing mitigation, suspended a two‑year prison term on the condition that Lawrence continue his studies and voluntary work with prisoners.
Ricardo De Freitas Correia, a 34-year-old Portuguese national with an address in Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deception and theft offences. The charges related to incidents in May 2019 at retail locations in Blanchardstown, Clondalkin, Swords and Tallaght. Gardaí established that Correia had exploited a debit card processing vulnerability, removing cards when machines prompted him to do so, then swiping them again to complete purchases without entering PINs. He acquired approximately €400 worth of goods including a watch, video games, perfume and an electric toothbrush through this method. All property was recovered. The court heard Correia was acting under direction from another person. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as organised and noted Correia's considerable knowledge of circumventing security measures. She imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, fully suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision following completion of a sentence he was already serving.
Brandon Giltrap, 21, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of cocaine (estimated €16,000 street value) and heroin (worth €1,633), and to possession of €8,039 proceeds of crime under the Money Laundering Act 2010. The charges followed a Garda search of his family home in Clondalkin on 8 November 2018, where investigators found the drugs, €19,000 in cash, weighing scales, mixing agents and bagging material. Giltrap had no prior convictions. In court, his defence counsel, Anne Rowland SC, explained that the death of his mother when he was 12 had left him with a drug debt that his father later cleared. Judge Pauline Codd set a headline sentence of six years, then suspended a prison term of four and a half years on the condition that Giltrap engage with Probation Services for that period.
In a non‑jury hearing at the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Harding, aged 48, and Carol Davis, aged 45, were charged with a total of 50 money‑laundering offences under the Criminal Justice Act 2010. Harding faces 30 counts of converting, transferring or handling property, namely money, between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016, involving EBS, Bank of Ireland and AIB accounts that allegedly held proceeds of criminal conduct. Davis is charged with 20 counts of the same nature over the same period, with accounts in her own name at the same banks. The charges were read out to Harding by the registrar, and the court heard from the prosecuting solicitor that the offences relate to concealing or disguising the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of the property.
The Central Criminal Court sentenced a 22-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, for defilement of a child. The defendant pleaded guilty to four sample counts of defilement of a child in Co Westmeath and Co Clare, committed between July and December 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that the defendant, who was a teenager at the time, met the victim online after lying about his age. The judge acknowledged that the victim was not physically assaulted or coerced, but stated the offences were aggravated by the age disparity, the deception employed, and the defendant's disregard for the victim. Substantial mitigation was accepted, including the defendant's youth at the time of initial contact, his guilty plea, expression of remorse, and lack of previous convictions. Mr Justice McDermott sentenced the defendant to two-and-a-half years imprisonment. However, considering the probation report and testimonials, the judge suspended the sentence in full on strict conditions. These conditions require the defendant to follow all directions of the Probation Service for three years and to refrain from directly or indirectly contacting the victim, her friends, or her family. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
The High Court heard a defamation claim brought by Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the traditional ruler of the Yoruba people, against Irish-based blogger Esther Esabod Aboderin. Ogunwusi alleges that Aboderin's social media posts on Facebook and YouTube maliciously accused him of serious criminal offences, including human trafficking, money laundering, and ordering killings. He denies these allegations and sought injunctions under the 2009 Defamation Act to remove the material and prevent further posting. Before Mr Justice Anthony Barr, Aboderin, who represented herself, consented to interim injunctions pending the full hearing. She agreed to remove the allegedly defamatory material from her Facebook account and stated she would ask followers to remove YouTube posts, which she claimed were uploaded by others. Her defence is justification. Counsel for Ogunwusi noted that in separate proceedings last year, a Nigerian businesswoman, Rosala Uvbi Mku-Atu, also brought defamation claims against Aboderin over social media comments. Aboderin acknowledged those posts have been taken down. She stated she fears for her safety and will not return to Nigeria. The matter was adjourned for the full hearing of the action.
John Carlos, 32, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering. The defendant pleaded guilty to the possession of €17,000, identified as the proceeds of criminal conduct, which was deposited into his Ulster Bank account on October 6, 2017. Prosecution evidence indicated the funds resulted from a fraudulent email sent to an English company, directing a payment for bulbs to Carlos's account. Carlos admitted the account was his and stated he did not know the source of the money, claiming he found it while checking for wages. He withdrew €4,900 to pay college fees and transferred €12,000 to a savings account before contacting the bank to alert them to the transaction. The bank subsequently froze the remaining €11,200. Carlos has no previous convictions and cooperated with gardai. Judge Martin Nolan considered the defendant's guilty plea, his cooperation, and the fact that he has not re-offended in the three years since the incident. The judge noted Carlos was working and contributing to the country. Judge Nolan imposed a two-year suspended sentence, stating: "You are getting your first and last chance."
In a High Court ruling on 3 June 2020, Justice Mary Rose Gearty ordered Gerard O'Sullivan and his niece, Fiona O'Brien, to vacate the apartment at Rosebank Place, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 immediately. The apartment is owned by Davy Platform ICAV, an asset‑management fund that provides social housing. O'Sullivan, who claims to be the former owner, denied trespassing and alleged a fraudulent transfer of the property in 2006, but no evidence of fraud was presented. The court found that O'Sullivan had entered the property without consent, changed the locks, and threatened to use his German Shepherd against anyone attempting to enter on the fund's behalf. The injunction remains pending a full hearing, and O'Sullivan and O'Brien were ordered to pay the fund's legal costs. The judge emphasised that the respondents had no right to remain on the property.
Sean Ruth, 31, of Blacktrench, Rathangan, Co Kildare, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 2 June 2020 charged with eight offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act. The alleged offences took place in the State between 1 January and 31 December 2016. Garda Paul Kane informed the court that a warrant had been executed for Mr Ruth, who is accused of making four lodgements into an AIB account and four into an account at St Canice's Credit Union, Kilkenny, with the accounts allegedly held in his name. The amounts of the lodgements were not disclosed. Mr Ruth is accused of knowing, believing, or being reckless as to whether the monies lodged were proceeds of criminal conduct.
Carlos Michael Mason, a 31‑year‑old UK national, was sentenced to one year in prison for fraudulently using a stolen American Express card to stay at Dublin's Shelbourne and Westbury hotels. Between 29 December 2019 and 19 January 2020, he accrued €3,735 at the Shelbourne and €4,700 at the Westbury, enjoying fine wine and dining. Gardaí identified him from CCTV and noted his distinctive multi‑coloured jacket. He pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly inducing the hotels to accept the fraudulent card. The court back‑dated the sentence to February, when he entered custody. Mason has 71 prior convictions, many for theft and fraud, and faces a European Arrest Warrant for other alleged offences in the UK.
The High Court has dismissed Deirdre Dennis's application to annul her bankruptcy, a status she claimed resulted from Bank of Ireland (BOI) overcharging her on mortgage repayments. Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington expressed considerable sympathy for the distress Ms Dennis endured but found the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the annulment. The judge determined that the alleged errors by BOI, which the bank admitted after Ms Dennis's discharge, lay outside the bankruptcy process. Ms Dennis had lost her family home in Killala, Co Mayo, after BOI sought repossession in 2015 following arrears. She successfully petitioned for bankruptcy in October 2017 and was discharged 12 months later. In 2019, BOI apologized for failing to provide a tracker rate and withdrew a €115,000 claim in her bankruptcy. However, the judge noted that Section 135 of the 1988 Bankruptcy Act precludes the review or cancellation of a discharge order. The court found no fraud or abuse of process, which are the grounds for reversing bankruptcy orders. The Insolvency Service of Ireland was found to have acted properly. Consequently, the application was dismissed as misconceived, with the judge noting that any redress against BOI lies elsewhere.
In May 2020 a burglar, Dominic Rogers, 21, was caught by a homeowner standing in a bush near the scene of a burglary in Lucan. Rogers had earlier pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen car at an M1 toll plaza on 28 June 2019 and to burglary at Foxpark on 26 September 2019. He had five prior convictions, including drug possession and deception. Gardaí had CCTV showing him driving the stolen car and later found him in a bush holding a torch after a house in Lucan had been broken into. Rogers denied involvement in the burglary but later accepted responsibility. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the car offence and two years for the burglary, to run consecutively for a total of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
A High Court hearing on 12 May 2020 reported that a Garda investigation file is being prepared against Conor Freeman, a 20‑year‑old Dublin man, who is wanted in the United States for alleged hacking theft of more than $2 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Freeman was arrested in May 2019 on a US warrant for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and four counts of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. US authorities allege that Freeman, part of an online group called "The Community", participated in four attacks that stole $2,187,977 in cryptocurrency between February and May 2018. The US indictment, issued by a Grand Jury in Michigan, also cites a "SIM hijacking" technique used to steal identities and gain control of victims' mobile numbers and accounts.
Damien Ionut, 34, was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of ATM attacks across eight European cities, including Dublin, Louth, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Westmeath, and Dublin. He and a group used a "transaction reversal fraud" technique, first withdrawing a small amount with a legitimate chip‑and‑pin card, then inserting a clip into the cash drawer to block the release of a larger withdrawal. They swapped the card for a dummy, causing the machine to think the customer had walked away, and then used a chisel to break into the drawer and take the cash. The attacks caused about €12,881 in damage and resulted in €5,980 in stolen cash. Ionut had 30 prior convictions for similar offences and was identified on CCTV footage. The court back‑dated the sentence to November 5, 2019. The case highlighted the vulnerability of ATMs to this type of fraud.
A construction worker from Sligo has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his involvement in a tax fraud scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Martin Stokes, aged 35, pleaded guilty in April 2016 to charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, including forgery and deception, relating to offences committed in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was one of five people who registered as contractors while falsely undertaking to remit tax payments on behalf of sub-contractors. Revenue issued approximately €107,000 in tax refunds and credits to bank accounts controlled by another individual, which were subsequently withdrawn via ATMs. Stokes failed to appear for sentencing in June 2016 and was arrested abroad before being returned to Ireland. Judge Martin Nolan described the scheme as relatively sophisticated and noted it exploited weaknesses in the contractor tax system. Stokes, who has previous convictions for dangerous driving, deception and counterfeiting, was credited with character references and community contributions, resulting in a reduction from an indicative sentence of five years.
Martin Stokes of Woodford Heights, Clondalkin, was arrested during the Covid‑19 lockdown after failing to appear for a sentence hearing in 2016 for tax fraud offences under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act. He had pleaded guilty in April 2016 to charges relating to tax registration on dates in 2006, 2008 and 2011. The court had adjourned the case for a week when his lawyers claimed he was an employed father of three, but he did not appear a week later, leading the judge to issue a bench warrant. The warrant was executed last Monday, and Judge Melanie Greally refused bail, remanding Stokes into custody for sentencing. His defence lawyer, Keith Spencer BL, argued that Stokes could not attend court because he was in a 14‑day quarantine imposed by the Prison Service, and that a video‑link meeting had been booked but not attended.
Michael Hennessy, 63, of Coneyboro, Athy, is awaiting trial for alleged property purchase frauds involving Spanish properties. A circuit court judge adjourned the trial because Covid‑19 prevented witnesses in Spain from travelling. Hennessy was granted short‑term bail, described as a vulnerable person in an overcrowded environment, after his wife attempted to sell a car to pay his surety. He may attend his father‑in‑law's funeral and must present bank documents to investigating Gardaí and comply with strict conditions. The case is now set for a new trial date on 16 June, with Hennessy observing proceedings via video‑link from prison. The judge warned that any breach of conditions would result in his return to custody until the trial.
Mark Adams, a 40‑year‑old male model from Castleheath, Malahide, was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant and taken to the High Court. He is accused of acting as a cash courier in a money‑laundering scheme, having booked 500 international flights between 2014 and 2018 and allegedly transporting €180,000 in hand luggage from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland. Northern Irish authorities claim he concealed the money and attempted to remove it from Northern Ireland on 9 May 2018, knowing or suspecting it to be proceeds of crime. He is also charged with arranging the removal of criminal property from Northern Ireland between 13 May 2013 and 10 May 2018, facilitating its retention or use by unknown persons. He was remanded in custody until 12 March, with a bail application expected and an extradition hearing scheduled for 25 March. The case is currently before the High Court.
Ryan Johnston, a 36‑year‑old truck driver from Cedar Grove, Magherafelt, was found carrying €166,720 in cash in a blue canvas bag in the cab of his tractor unit. He was arrested after a Garda surveillance operation and pleaded guilty to possession of the cash and the proceeds of criminal conduct on 3 June 2016. Johnston had six prior convictions in Northern Ireland, mainly for road traffic offences, and made no admissions during his interview. His defence lawyer, Justin McQuade, argued that Johnston was a valued member of his business, was embarrassed and ashamed, and that the offence was a one‑off transgression committed recklessly. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Johnston's respectable family background, good work record and character references, imposed a three and a half year sentence, suspending the final 18 months, and jailed him for two years. The sentence reflected the seriousness of money laundering and the need for deterrence in the haulage trade.
Bronwyn O'Dea (54) and Paul De Brit (56), directors of a Dublin timber import business, were convicted of fraud and deception after they promised customers that payments would be taken only after timber delivery but failed to deliver. They used customer money to fund the company, which was in financial distress, and stole €19,124 from Mr Peter Andrews of The Wood Floor Store, Lancashire, England. The total loss to complainants between December 2006 and May 2008 was about €200,000. Both pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced O'Dea to a three‑year prison term, suspended, and De Brit to four years, three of which were suspended. The court noted that all customers lost money and received no timber, and that the directors did not benefit from the fraud. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A man from Carrick-on-Shannon has lost an appeal against his six-year prison sentence for involvement in a sophisticated online fraud involving cloned stolen vans. Tom Reilly, aged 50, pleaded guilty to four sample counts of handling stolen property between August 2009 and June 2010. He was sentenced by Judge John Aylmer in May 2019, with the Court of Appeal upholding that decision today. The scheme involved vans stolen in the UK being brought to Ireland and sold to unsuspecting buyers through online platforms, resulting in losses totalling €50,150 across eight purchases. Evidence indicated that fraudulent logbooks were obtained using details from legitimate vehicles, which were then used to clone the stolen vans before importation to Ireland. The Court of Appeal found no error in principle in the original sentencing, confirming the six-year term was justified given the scale and sophistication of the operation.
Shaeed Adeola Ishola, a 44‑year‑old convicted drug dealer, lost a High Court challenge to a deportation order. He was jailed in 2012 for seven years after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply, following the discovery of €1.4 million worth of cocaine in a fake diplomatic bag at Dublin Airport. Released in 2016 after enhanced remission, he had lived in Ireland without incident. In August 2019 the Minister for Justice ordered his deportation, citing the seriousness of the offence and a fraud conviction in the UK. Ishola and his family argued the decision was delayed, disproportionate, irrational and breached their constitutional and privacy rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. The Minister's lawyers said all relevant information had been considered. Mr Justice Max Barrett upheld the Minister's decision, rejecting the application and finding no breach of rights, and declined to set aside the deportation order.
Contantin Dirlescu, 31, of Dawson House, Patrick Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of using false passports to open bank accounts and four counts of operating accounts for money laundering between January and July 2019. Garda Shane Fitzsimons explained that the accounts, opened with false Danish passports, were linked to Dirlescu's address and were used by a Romanian criminal organisation involved in money laundering and cyber fraud. Dirlescu said he was paid €1,300 for opening four accounts and €400 for each subsequent account, plus 5 % of withdrawals, and that he had been instructed by Romanian associates to open accounts for them. He had prior convictions for larceny in Spain (2015) and receiving stolen goods in Italy (2009). Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his first custody date, August 2 2019.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the finalisation of Garret Hevey's appeal, increasing his sentence from five years to six years imprisonment. Hevey, who pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment in Arden FML and three counts of inducing payments by deception, was originally sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with President George Birmingham and Mr Justice Brian McGovern, found the original sentence unduly lenient, describing the company as an "engine of fraud" that sold the same forests repeatedly. The court determined that no portion of the new six-year sentence should be suspended. Hevey's co-accused, David Peile, also known as David Marshall, pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended. No appeal has been lodged regarding Peile's sentence. The appeal process for Hevey is now complete with the revised sentence imposed, while Peile's case remains unchanged.
In a 2020 case, Berlin‑based W2 Filmproduktion Vertriebs GmbH sued Irish film producers Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn, alleging that €40‑50 million had been diverted from Octagon Films Ltd, a company in which all parties are shareholders. The claim, first brought before the court in 2016, was heard by Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington. Both producers deny the allegations and have offered to resolve the dispute through mediation. Counsel Bernard Dunleavy SC argued that public proceedings were damaging to his clients' businesses, especially after W2's claims that funds from a proposed TV series, 'Vikings Valhalla', would be diverted to the defendants. W2, which holds 49 % of Octagon's shares, seeks damages for alleged breach of duty, fraud and conspiracy. The judge accepted the mediation offer and adjourned the case to a date next month. The dispute remains a derivative action brought by a shareholder on behalf of Octagon.
In a High Court hearing on 30 January 2020, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore imposed a 14‑year and three‑month disqualification on Kevin Rabbitte, director of Westman Plant and Civils Limited, for his role in a €1.2 million VAT fraud. Rabbitte admitted to a carefully coordinated scheme that used the company's VAT number to purchase machinery from the UK between July 2014 and June 2015, then sell it in Ireland without paying the due VAT. The fraud, described as a carousel or Missing Trader Intra‑Community VAT fraud, resulted in Revenue being defrauded of €1.2 million. Rabbitte had consented to a declaration that he knowingly defrauded the company's creditors, including Revenue, and to be personally responsible for €1.5 million of the company's debts. He received a 5 % discount on the maximum 15‑year disqualification allowed under the 2014 Companies Act because of his admissions and consent to orders before the hearing.