MONEY MULE | 

Dad-of-five who had €250k in crime cash hidden behind air vent in his car is jailed

Blackmore of Ashlawn Park, Ballybrack, Co Dublin told gardaí on arrest that he couldn’t give any information as to the origins of the money, as to do so would endanger his life

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A Dublin driver stopped in traffic for playing on his phone was found to be concealing an electric key fob in his underwear which led to the discovery of laundered money, a court has heard.

Barry Blackmore (32) was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for laundering €250,000 in criminal proceeds on February 3, 2021. The cash was found in a purpose-built compartment behind the air vent on the car dashboard which was opened by the fob, the court heard.

Blackmore of Ashlawn Park, Ballybrack, Co Dublin told gardaí on arrest that he couldn’t give any information as to the origins of the money, as to do so would endanger his life and the life of his family. He had come forward on a signed plea from Dublin District Court.

Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said the cash was obviously the product of criminal activity and that the court considered money-laundering at this level a serious matter.

Judge Nolan described Blackmore as a “cog” in the operation and said he was acting for other parties who didn’t want to transport the money themselves. The judge acknowledged that Blackmore had “certain pressures” in his life but said he had decided to take the risk.

Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of six years but reduced this on account of Blackmore’s good mitigation including his guilty plea and his cooperation with the investigation.

Garda Paul Cummins told John Quirke BL, prosecuting, that gardaí stopped Blackmore on Lombard Street in Dublin 2 because he was “playing with his phone” while in a queue in traffic.

Gardaí signalled to Blackmore to pull over and although he did so, he was acting very nervously and seemed to be concealing an item in his underwear, Gda Cummins said.

Gardaí initially thought Blackmore might be hiding drugs, but he proffered the item which turned out to be an electric key fob. Gardaí pressed the button on the fob, heard a little click and saw the air vent opening, just as Blackmore was explaining about the hidden compartment.

The compartment, which gardaí said was designed to transport items without detection, contained a total of €250,030 in cash. Blackmore was arrested on suspicion of money-laundering and said, “I shouldn’t have driven the car into town today.”

He did not account for the presence of the money and said he could not give any further information. Garda Cummins agreed with Justin McQuade BL, defending, that Blackmore was in fear.

The garda also agreed that Blackmore had been very cooperative and easy to deal with. The car was registered to his ex-partner, the court heard.

Blackmore has 32 previous convictions, of which 17 are for road traffic offences. Other convictions were for drugs, theft and public order offences, along with simple assault and possession of an article.

Letters from Blackmore, his partner, his grandmother and aunt were all present to court but not read aloud. Counsel said Blackmore was a landscaper by occupation, ran his own business and had worked ever since leaving school.

Blackmore was described as a family man and a father-of-five who was very involved in the lives of his children. Judge Nolan ordered the €250,000 to be forfeited to the State and the vehicle to be forfeited and destroyed.