Laois court told man had assets seized by Criminal Assets Bureau

A judge demanded to know why a man who spent tens of thousands on cars in a year wanted legal aid at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

Andrew Cash (33) with an address at 7 Harpurs Lane, Portlaoise appeared in court in relation to driving without insurance or a licence at Newline  Road, Mountrath on July 2, 2023, at Rossleighan, Portlaoise on January 29, 2024 and on the Mountrath Road, Portlaoise on May 6, 2024. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the accused was observed driving a Skoda Octavia on the Mountrath Road in Portlaoise at 3.10pm on May 6. He said the defendant was  disqualified from driving at the time. The defendant was arrested for a similar offence on January 29 this year. 

Sgt Kirby said the man was involved in a two vehicle collision in Mountrath on July 2, 2023 at 8am. He had been driving a silver Ford CMax on the day and had exchanged details with the other driver. Sgt Kirby said the defendant failed to produce insurance or driving licence details within ten days following a lawful demand.  

Sgt Kirby said the man has 49 previous convictions including four for no insurance. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick  said her client “wishes to apologise” and had written a letter to the court. She said on the January date he had been driving to collect his children from school as “the weather was appalling” on the day. She said he was also driving his children on the May date. 

Ms Fitzpatrick accepted he was facing a custodial sentence and explained that his home is due to be seized. She asked that he be allowed a postponement to any sentence to enable him to find a new place for his family. 

Judge Andrew Cody said the defendant has been “offending non stop” and even a previous suspended sentence failed to make any difference.  

“I am not going to postpone,” he told Ms Fitzpatrick. 

Judge Cody imposed a 12 month prison sentence for the offence in January and May and banned the man from driving for 20 years. He imposed a further six months suspended for three years in relation to the offence committed on July 2, 2023. He fixed recognisance at €2,500 with €2,500 in cash.  

Ms Fitzpatrick asked Judge Cody to reconsider the sum. Judge Cody said the man should reconsider his driving. 

“There needs to be €2,500 in cash at risk,” he insisted. 

Ms Fitzpatrick requested legal aid in relation to each of the three  separate incidents. 

Judge Cody asked where the money had come from to pay for the 181 and 161 registered cars he was driving.

“He is buying cars worth 10 or 15 thousand every three months,” said Judge Cody. 

“His assets have been seized including his house,” said Ms Fitzpatrick, who said her client wasn’t a man of means. 

“Cars to the value of €50,000 or €60,000 in the space of three months and he is looking for legal aid,” said Judge Cody 

He noted one of the cars had a 161 registration, another was 181 OY and the other a 181 D registered car. He said there was a “minimum of €50,000 worth of vehicles” involved. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said one was bought with the proceeds of a compensation claim, another was registered to his wife and it has been seized and the third was bought cheaply and repaired. 

“The Criminal Assets Bureau has seized them,” Ms Fitzpatrick replied. 

Although legal aid had been assigned on two of the no insurance offences, Judge Cody declined to grant legal aid on the third.  

He remanded the defendant in custody to appear again at Naas District Court on June 12 in relation to a suspended sentence.