Offaly money laundering case adjourned as report not ready

The case of a man involved in a money laundering case was put back to July 10, because a probation and welfare report was not ready.

Kyle Smith (23) of Lynn Heights, Mullingar, first appeared in court in January of this year when he pleaded guilty to transferring, possessing or using €5,100 the proceeds of criminal conduct at Bank of Ireland, Emmet Square, Birr on November 26, 2021.

In January the court heard that Mr Smith had been ordered to take €5,100 from his account before being taken to a shop to buy phones which he then had to hand over to others.

In his evidence to the court last January, Garda Fanning said that the defendant Kyle Smith (23), a student had stated to the gardai that he had received calls purporting to be from his bank telling him that his account was displaying fraudulent activity and asking for his card details. He had dismissed the calls as a scam and hung up.

He then received a call to tell him to come outside of his student accommodation in Sligo where a northern registered white Seat Ibiza was waiting. He was ordered to ''get the f... into the car'' and was told nothing would happen to him. He was asked for his bank account details and his phone.

He was taken to a printing shop and told to print out his bank statement. €5,100 had been transferred into his account from a Birr based account who was the injured party in the case.

He was then brought to a post office to change the money into sterling. Following this he was driven to a CeX store and instructed to purchase a number of phones which he handed over. Afterwards he was driven back to his student complex where he was warned not to tell the gardai.

Garda Fanning said it was three months before Mr Smith had reported the matter to the Gardai.

Solicitor Patrick Martin said Mr Smith was a young man. He had attended the Garda station by appointment. This had been a very traumatic experience for him and he had come at the earliest opportunity with the full amount of €5,100 which was the sum involved, Judge Cody directed that the money be returned to the Bank of Ireland.

He then remanded Mr Smith on continuing bail to last week's district court sitting of April 10 2024 for preparation of a probation report and restorative justice report.

However, the report was not finalised and Judge Cody adjourned the case to July 10.