A Limerick drug dealer who sold ice cream has been jailed for money laundering

At Ennis Circuit Courtroom, Decide Francis Comerford imposed a 64-month jail sentence on “new father” Paul Collopy (48) after he pleaded responsible “at a really late stage” to cash laundering. It considerations €16,695 in proceeds of crime present in an deserted automobile on the grounds of Carnelly Home, close to the village of Clarecastle, Co Clare on 24 November 2020.

Gardaí recognized Mr Collopy because the perpetrator after matching a DNA pattern to Mr Collopy from a transparent bag containing some money discovered within the 99 CE – police recovered the money from the automobile on 24 November.

In proof, Sergeant Dennis Stack stated that the day earlier than, Mr Collopy had been seen fiddling contained in the hood of a automobile.

Det Sgt Stack stated that when police returned to the scene on November 24, 2020, on the grounds of Carnelly Home with a search warrant, they discovered one other man in possession of 1 kilo of hashish as he exited the deserted automobile whereas one other kilo of hashish was discovered. Discovered within the automobile.

Det Stack stated Mr Collopy saved horses on land in Carnelly “and had entry to the lands for agricultural functions”.

Mr Collopy’s barrister, Pat Barriscale BL, said that his particular directions from Mr Collopy of Childers Rd, Cloughleigh, Ennis had been that medicine had nothing to do along with his shopper.

Mr. Bariscal said that Mr. Collopy “insists that he had nothing to do with medicine and particularly orders me to make that time clear.”

Nevertheless, in sentencing, Decide Comerford stated he was glad that the €16,965 was linked to the drug seizure on the identical location, and this positioned cash laundering at the next degree of offence.

Decide Comerford said that he was glad that €16,965 had been obtained from drug dealing and that Mr Collopy had change into concerned in “very critical prison exercise”.

On the identical courtroom in July final yr, Decide Comerford imposed a compulsory minimal 10-year jail sentence beneath medicine laws on Mr Collopy.

Decide Comerford imposed the 10-year jail sentence after police caught Mr Collopy “red-handed” with €50,780 of hashish on the grounds of Carnelly Home in April 2021.

Decide Comerford deferred that ruling to April 2021 when Mr Collopy was first introduced into police custody.

Mr Collopy is not going to serve any additional time in jail for the brand new cash laundering offense in November 2020, with Decide Comerford saying the 64-month jail sentence will run concurrently with the present ten-year time period.

The courtroom was informed that Mr Collopy is because of be launched from jail from his ten-year jail sentence in 2028.

From a “good household” in Limerick, Mr Collopy used to personal two ice cream vans on the street earlier than returning to the medicine scene in the course of the final decade.

Mr. Bariscal said that Mr. Collopy is the daddy of two youngsters, certainly one of whom is 23 years previous and the opposite is simply two years previous.

Mr. Bariscal said that Mr. Collopy has a “horrible report” and “retains his head down and bides his time.”

Mr. Bariscal said that his shopper is eager to not prolong this time in any approach. He stated Mr Collopy had a younger little one and till he was launched he would haven’t any enter into that kid’s life.

Det Sgt Stack informed the courtroom Mr Collopy had 81 earlier convictions together with 43 for street site visitors, three for theft, 10 for public order, 4 for assault, three for prison injury, two for threatening to kill, two for cash laundering and 4 for homicide. Drug trafficking crimes.