‘LAVISH LIFESTYLE’ | 

CAB target linked to burglary gang says she earned cash to buy house by working as escort

This week the Criminal Assets Bureau targeted Mary Cash claiming her Portlaoise house, bought for €100,000 and renovated, is the proceeds of crime.

Today at 18:58

A WOMAN who allegedly acted as a driver for a burglary gang claimed she earned cash used to buy a house by working as a cleaner, child minder and escort in Australia.

This week the Criminal Assets Bureau targeted Mary Cash claiming her Portlaoise house, bought for €100,000 and renovated, is the proceeds of crime.

The court also heard about her ‘lavish lifestyle’ including a shopping trip to Harrods and designer good worth thousands.

CAB said two of her close relations are members of an organised crime gang which are “heavily involved in criminal behaviour throughout the island of Ireland.”

In his affidavit to the High Court today the CAB chief officer Michael Gubbins said Mary Cash is believed to be the driver or to provide cars for members of the gang related to her.

Her bank account saw €429,000 pass through over ten years “a sum not possibly derived” from her income and which she did not explain the source of the cash when interviewed by officers.

It also emerged at the High Court today that she pleaded guilty yesterday at Kilkenny Circuit Court to three charges of money laundering.

The 32-year-old’s arrest in Kilkenny in July 2019, when a child in her charge was suspected of stealing toys in the city, led to a storage locker in the city where officers found €9,000 and st£14,950 hidden in various items.

The following month CAB searched her Portlaoise home where they found €700 and st£900 in handbag in the front bedroom.

Gardai also found a secret compartment over the fireplace in the bedroom in which £6,000 was found inside two socks.

Also included in the list of items CAB wanted declared the proceeds of crime were five designer handbags worth between 900 and €4,00 each along with a 171-reg VW Golf.

In a second search in March 2020 images of Mary Cash leading “a lavish lifestyle” were found on her mobile phone including one taken while shopping in Harrods.

CAB also said renovations were carried out to her Portlaoise even after her bank had been frozen including a new front door, wood-flooring and bathroom for which a builder was paid in cash to help install.

Two more watches were seized in April this year, which are not a part of the current application, it was heard in court.

In a replying affidavit to CAB, Mary cash said she had earned money while working in Australia for a year as a childminder, cleaner and an escort, it was heard.

Her husband did tarmacking, gravel driveways and power-washing during which time they earned aus$150,000 while living with family and friends.

CAB argued, however, there was no evidence of money being transferred from Australia or evidence of transactions in the country.

Her lawyer said in court that Mary Cash is not facing any other criminal charges apart from the ones dealt with at Kilkenny Circuit Court and has no other convictions.

t was also claimed she traded in horses, cars and jewellery dealing with individuals and at markets.

It was accepted, however, that she didn’t pay tax on the money earned from trading here or in Australia.

Judge Owens said he will deliver his judgement “in due course.”