A Dundalk charity volunteer has been jailed for money laundering and drug offences
A 55 year old man who volunteered with a homeless charity has been jailed for three years at Dundalk Circuit Court
A 55 year old man who volunteered with a homeless charity has been jailed for three years at Dundalk Circuit Court for money laundering and drug offences, following two separate incidents.
Senior Counsel for Gary Clarke with an address at Park Street, Dundalk told Judge Dara Hayes at the start of the sentencing hearing that the offending occurred in circumstances where his client's family were being directly threatened.
The court heard the defendant appeared nervous and was increasingly agitated when he was stopped driving a car on October 19th 2021.
Over €1,000 was found in his wallet along with a small amount of cocaine worth between €5 and €10.
When the vehicle was searched, €8,175 was found wrapped in cling film behind the glove compartment along with a face mask with Gary Clarke's DNA. He entered a guilty plea last February to a charge of money laundering and unlawful possession of drugs arising out of that detection.
Two and a half months later, on January 4th 2022 he was pulled over after a minor traffic collision.
On that occasion €45,070 was found, which he claimed to have saved for his mother.
Three bags of cocaine, worth €69,521 was recovered, which resulted in him pleading guilty to having drugs for sale or supply with a market value of €13,000 or more, and a further money laundering offence.
The father of three had three previous convictions for road traffic matters, but has not come to adverse garda attention since the second incident.
Judge Dara Hayes said the defendant and it was accepted "he may well have been holding the drugs for others".
He noted the defendant, who volunteered with a homeless charity, deeply regrets his offending and the Probation report put him at moderate risk of re-offending.
For the initial offending he imposed a sentence of two years and nine months and a concurrent sentence of five years for the second case, with the final two years suspended for two years on him entering a €100 good behaviour bond.
Judge Hayes said that given Mr. Clarke had been making significant progress he would place him under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months post release on condition that he attends all appointments with the service, that he engages with the Turas counselling and support group.
He must also engage with the HSE addiction services "as directed" and with any offence focused work directed by the Probation Service.