'I’m not satisfied it was full cooperation' -Longford Circuit Court judge

Former Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Frank Kilbride, was jailed for money laundering last week.
Judge Kenneth Connolly concluded the case involving the movement of over €2.6m through a number of companies linked to Cyril 'Dublin Jimmy’ McGuinness.

The defendant was jailed for three years and three months following a lengthy sentence hearing at Longford Circuit Court.
Mr Kilbride (70), of Aughakilmore, Ballinalee, Co Longford, appeared before Longford Circuit Court last Tuesday, having previously pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering sums totalling €2,604,564.05 through three bank accounts associated with TJO Developments Ltd on dates between October 2017 and March 2018.

Mr Kilbride, took to the stand after his legal team applied to come off record, following the publication of a newspaper article over the weekend detailing certain threats made towards himself and his wife.
“I wasn’t aware the article was being published,” he said, becoming emotional in the witness box.

"I don't want to die in prison. I have cancer and I’m after going through seven years of torture. I’m begging you not to leave me in prison too long. I want to be at home with my wife and my four collie dogs."
Judge Connolly accepted that it was “a very, very sorry day” for Mr Kilbride and his wife, but stressed that these were “very serious offences”.

“The quantum of money is quite significant,” he said and, while he noted there was a "spectre" of duress in the case, he said that money laundering "facilitates the financing of criminality" and he found it difficult to accept that Mr Kilbride didn’t realise the extent of his offending.

Aggravating factors in the case included the “sheer quantum of money laundered” and the fact that, while Mr Kilbride wasn’t the organiser of the “sophisticated structure”, he was a “very important cog”.
“There’s no sign of remorse regarding potential victims of money laundering. He’s very remorseful of the shame this has caused himself and his wife and family, and for his spectacular fall from grace. But his remorse is self-pitying,” said Judge Connolly.

Judge Connolly noted there was a “spectre” of duress in the case, though he stressed he found it “very difficult to accept” due to a number of factors, including clear activity by Mr Kilbride regarding TJO Developments Ltd after 2017, when he claimed he had sold the company.
That activity included the opening of an account in the name of TJO Developments, 15 swift payments by Mr Kilbride between November 2017 and March 2018, as well as the appointment of Mr Kilbride’s wife as director of the company in 2019.
“It is simply beggar’s belief that Mr Kilbride could give a statement to Gardaí in 2019 that he’d sold the company in 2017 when his wife was made director in 2018,” he said.

He gave mitigation, however, for a number of factors, including the signed plea of guilty, the fact that Mr Kilbride gave “some” cooperation - “though I’m not satisfied it was full cooperation” - as well as the fact he was “courteous to An Garda Síochána”, and has no relevant previous convictions.
“He has suffered extreme shame in his community. That must be very difficult for a man of his standing. There will undoubtedly be reporting of the matter, which will lead to more shame on him and his wife, but that is a natural consequence of the offending,” said Judge Connolly.

“He should have known better. He acted stupidly and now he is paying the price for that.”

He proceeded to sentence Mr Kilbride to four years and six months in prison but, taking into account Mr Kilbride’s age and health, opted to suspend the final 15 months for a period of three years, subject to a number of conditions, including that he does not register any company or business for three years post-release.

He concluded by backdating the sentence to last Friday, July 26.