The Director of Public Prosecutions v Denis Harrington

Amount Forfeited

€13,500

Court Date

24 June 2014

Venue

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Judge

Mary Ellen Ring

Summary

On 24 June 2014 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered the forfeiture to the Exchequer of cash amounting to €13,500 pursuant to Section 39, Criminal Justice Act 1994, as amended by Section 21, Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005, on the grounds that it was proven on the balance of probabilities to represent the proceeds of crime, or was intended for use in criminal conduct.

On 10 May 2013 Revenue Enforcement Officers at Dublin Airport seized and detained the cash from Denis Harrington, an Irish national, who had arrived on a flight from Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Following an investigation by Revenue’s Investigations and Prosecutions Division, a file on the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ordered the forfeiture proceedings.

Mr Harrington had claimed that he had travelled to Amsterdam to set up a power washing business but having spent two and a half weeks there he was returning home as he was home sick. He claimed to have sold his power washing equipment, his van and a caravan but he could not provide any further details or documents in support of these claims. It was proven to the Court that these claims did not stand up to scrutiny. It was also shown that Mr Harrington did not have the financial capacity to have this sum from a legitimate source.

Mr Harrington did not attend, nor was he represented at the Circuit Criminal Court, and the application was unopposed.