The manageress of a Dublin lap-dancing club, String, was granted bail of €100,000 when she appeared in court yesterday charged with failing to make tax returns.
Ms Mary Cullen (55), Gracepark Hall, Gracepark Road, Drumcondra, faced two charges of failing to make returns in the prescribed manner contrary to Section 1078 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997.
Dublin District Court heard she was arrested at her rented Drumcondra apartment on Thursday and charged at Store Street Garda station at 8.30 p.m. Gardaí objected to her being released on bail as they believed she was "well advanced" in plans to move to Spain.
Det Sgt Thomas Matthews said she had significant funds in Spain and he believed that, even if she surrendered her passport, it would not prevent her from leaving the jurisdiction. She had opened a bank account in Spain and lodged substantial funds.
Ms Cullen told the court she would turn up to stand trial if given bail. She admitted she had lodged at least €140,000 to a bank account in Spain and that she had business interests there.
She would be setting up business there depending on how matters go in this country. She had difficulties here as there was a problem with her licence. An objection by gardaí to the dance licence for Strings, of Leeson Street, is currently before the courts.
She denied she told officers that it was because of an ongoing investigation which gave rise to these tax charges that she was leaving this country.
Judge Peter Smithwick set her own bail bond at €50,000 cash with an independent surety of €50,000. He ordered that she surrender her passport and sign on twice daily at Harcourt Terrace Garda station. He remanded her in custody with consent to bail to appear again on July 4th.