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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Cobh man to be sentenced for laundering €672k and owning a house boat from proceeds of crime
A Cobh man who was caught in Dublin laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct totalling €672,000 in cash and having an €86,000 house boat on the river at East Ferry in Cork will be sentenced on June 24. 39-year-old Gerard Hayes with an address at College Lawn, College Manor, Cobh, County Cork, had the case against him listed at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday. Judge Helen Boyle adjourned the case for sentencing of the accused at a later date. The defendant pleaded guilty to charges including the possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of large quantities of ammunition and silencers for firearms. He also admitted at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to charges related to drugs and money-laundering. The most serious charge states that on February 20, 2024, at Mespil Road, Dublin 4, he did engage in converting/transferring/handling/acquiring/possessing/using property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct, namely cash to the value of €672,000 while knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether or not the said property was the proceeds of crime, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O'Connell previously applied for a probation report and a prison governor's report in advance of sentencing. 'There is a recent addiction issue and there has been engagement with addiction services. The case involved a considerable amount of cash. I believe it (probation report) would be of assistance,' Ms O'Connell said. Judge Boyle acceded to the application and remanded the accused in custody for sentencing. As well as the Mespil Road money-laundering charge there was a charge on the same date related to his home in Cobh involving €10,050. A third money-laundering charge related to €450 at Ballynoe, Cobh, on May 5, 2024. On May 5 also he had cocaine for sale or supply at Ballynoe and permitted the possession of cocaine in his car. Another money-laundering charge was admitted by Mr Hayes in respect of €62,800 in cash at Ballydaniel, Ballymore, Cobh, on February 10 last year. He also admitted counts related to cocaine dealing. There were also multiple counts related to ammunition and silencers for firearms. Finally, on February 12, 2024, at Ballynacorra River, East Ferry, Midleton, he admitted possession of proceeds of criminal conduct in the form of a boat, including contents and engine, with a value of €86,000. An outline of the facts of the case that gave rise to the total of 23 charges will be given by the investigating member of An Garda Síochána at the sentencing hearing.
Irish Examiner
16-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork man's out-of-date motor tax led gardaí to discover €8,650 worth of cocaine in boot of his car
Failing to have up-to-date motor tax had serious consequences for a motorist in Fermoy as gardaí went on to discover a large stash of cocaine in a hidden compartment in the boot. Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Kevin Kenneally, of Beechfield Estate, Fermoy, Co Cork, has been jailed for 12 months for having the drugs valued €8,650 for sale or supply. Detective Garda Bryan Murphy said at lunchtime on May 24, 2023, at Pearse Square, Fermoy, Co Cork, he checked on a grey Mazda and discovered the tax was out. This prompted him to stop the car and he immediately noticed the driver — Kevin Kenneally — was acting in a nervous manner. White powder in a baggie was found in the car. In a follow-up search of the boot, a hidden compartment was found to contain a larger quantity of cocaine. The concealed cocaine in the boot was found with two mobile phones. 'He was interviewed at Mitchelstown Garda Station but he later fled the country,' the detective said. He returned to Ireland earlier this year at a time when gardaí were in the process of applying for a European arrest warrant with a view to arresting him in Spain. Judge Helen Boyle imposed a sentence of two years, with the second year suspended, noting the accused had been previously convicted for having drugs for sale or supply, where he was given a fully suspended sentence. Defence barrister Brian Leahy said of the accused: 'He said he owed a large amount of money to drug-dealers in Dublin. He presented himself and pleaded guilty, saving the State the time and expense of prosecuting the case. He had a problem with addiction to cocaine at the time. 'Two employers have been in touch with his solicitor to say work is available for him on his release and this is from people who know his history. He has been in custody since March 14.' Judge Helen Boyle said in terms of the gravity of the offence, his car was searched and as well as the quantity of cocaine, there were two mobile phones. 'The aggravating factor is that you had two previous drug-dealing convictions, according to the State. You dispute that there was a second such conviction. Even giving you the benefit of the doubt that there was only one dealing conviction, it was still one too many,' the judge said. The sentence was backdated to March when the accused went into custody.
