A factory worker has been returned for trial after he was charged with money laundering of more than €220,000, following an extensive investigation by fraud detectives in Cork.
Donal Cronin (34), Mervue Crescent, Ballyvolane, appeared at Cork District Court yesterday on seven charges resulting from an investigation by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation based at Anglesea Street in Cork.
Det Sgt Eddie Fogarty served a book of evidence on Mr Cronin, who is charged with seven counts of laundering sums ranging from €12,000 to €55,000 between April 9th, 2002, and January 20th, 2003.
Six of the charges allege that Mr Cronin handled property, namely cheques, by negotiating the same for cash at Patrick Street in Cork, knowing that the cheques represented the proceeds of criminal activity on the part of another person, namely theft.
A seventh charge alleges that Mr Cronin handled property, namely a bank draft, by negotiating the same for cash at Patrick Street in Cork, knowing that the draft represented the proceeds of crime by another person, namely fraudulent conversion.
Insp Michael Commyns yesterday said the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the case being sent for trial at Circuit Court level and he applied to have Mr Cronin returned for trial at the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Cronin's solicitor, John Powell, applied for a two- to three-week adjournment to allow him to study the book of evidence in detail, but Judge William Early refused the application and said Mr Powell could make whatever pre-trial applications he wanted at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Early was told that Mr Cronin worked as an assembler in a factory and he granted him free legal aid and remanded him on his own bond of €500 to appear at the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court, starting on May 9th.
