'Tree surgeon' with counterfeit €50 notes at Tullamore Show fined
Tullamore District Court is told fake currency passed by man had been received by him when he sold trailer
COUNTERFEIT €50 notes used by a man at the Tullamore Show were given to him when he sold a trailer, the local District Court was told.
Michael Stokes (29), Barrymore, Kiltoom, Athlone, Co Roscommon, admitted having three counterfeit €50 notes at the King of the Road stall, Butterfield Estate, Tullamore on August 9 last, believing them to be counterfeit and intending to pass them as tender or genuine.
Mr Stokes also pleaded guilty to using €50 counterfeit notes, to a total of €400 at Trade Stop Ltd stall on the same date, knowing the €400 to be false.
Judge Andrew Cody was told Mr Stokes was arrested at the Tullamore Show and counterfeit notes were found on his person.
Sergeant Richard Thornton said the arrest followed gardai being approached by an injured party at 5.10pm who said he'd been handed €400 in counterfeit notes while he was being paid for a tool. He pointed out the suspect to gardai.
When Mr Stokes was searched at Tullamore Garda Station further counterfeit €50 notes were found. The man had no previous convictions, said Sergeant Thornton.
Asked by Judge Andrew Cody if the counterfeit notes were “good”, Sergeant Thornton said they were “reasonably” good.
Defending solicitor Brian Duffy said his client, a married father of two had sold a trailer and used the cash he received to pay for items at the Tullamore Show.
Mr Duffy said he had €450 in court to compensate the injured party and had pleaded guilty immediately to what he had done.
Mr Duffy asked Judge Cody to be as lenient as he could and the €450 was handed in.
The judge remarked that perhaps those nine €50 notes would have to be checked in a bank in case the man “sold another trailer” and then imposed a fine of €500, giving the man three months to pay it.
Mr Duffy said his client was applying for legal aid and told Judge Cody that Mr Stokes had worked as a tree surgeon.
Judge Cody asked the solicitor when he last got an estimate from a tree surgeon to which Mr Duffy replied “never”.
The judge said: “I did, very recently and I'd have to take out a mortgage.”
He added that if Mr Stokes wished to proceed with an application for legal aid he would have to provide a statement of means and produce bank statements for at least two months.
He adjourned the application to October 28 and told Mr Duffy that his client would have to be present in court on that date.
(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)