Man jailed for 18 months for selling unstamped tobacco products (DPP v John Joseph Geaney)

At Cork Circuit Court today (29/06/12), John Joseph Geaney of 10 Prosperity Square, Off Barrack Street, Cork, was sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence, to run concurrently, for each of seven charges relating to 3 detections of unstamped tobacco products in July 2010 at 3 different addresses in Cork City. 111,200 cigarettes and 124.25kgs of tobacco with an estimated retail value of €87,209 and potential loss to the Exchequer of €69,086, were seized in the operation.

At the time of the detections Mr. Geaney was on a six-month suspended sentence for similar offences. This sentence was re-activated today (29/06/12) and Mr. Geaney was ordered to serve the 6-month sentence prior to the 18-month sentence handed down by Judge Patrick Moran.

Mr. Geaney had previously pleaded guilty to the charges at the same court in May of this year. Mr. Geaney, who had 2 further district court appeals affirmed today, has 15 previous convictions for similar offences.

[Ends: 29/06/2012]