Clare criminal has part of 'money laundering' prison sentence activated

A CLARE criminal who previously received a four-year suspended sentence for money laundering has had two years of the term activated after he was convicted of similar offences.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Paul Collopy was caught by gardai money laundering again during the four-year suspended sentence.

The 48-year-old of Gordon Drive, Clough Leigh, Ennis had pleaded guilty, in 2017, to money laundering following the seizure of €67,900 on July 22, 2014. 

Garda David McGrath told Judge Orla Crowe that Collopy had been the subject of a surveillance operation on that date and was observed handing a package over to a woman. She brought the package to Dublin, where it was intercepted, and €67,900 cash was recovered.

Judge Karen O’Connor imposed a four-year suspended sentence in relation to that offence in 2017.

Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, told Judge Crowe that on November 24, 2020, during the period of that suspension, a further “triggering offence” of money laundering was committed by Collopy, bringing the suspended term back before the court for possible reactivation. 

Sergeant Denis Stack told Ms Stuart that Collopy was again under surveillance in November 2020 and was observed interfering with the bonnet of a car on the grounds of Carnally House, Clare Castle, County Clare.

He said that during a search of the car the following day, gardai recovered three bundles of cash totalling €16,695 from a clear bag found in the air filter of the car.

At Ennis Circuit Court in October 2023, Judge Francis Comerford imposed a 64-month sentence for this offence.

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Sgt Stack said Collopy, who is originally from Limerick, is also currently serving a ten-year sentence imposed in 2022 after being caught “red-handed” with €50,000 worth of cannabis at the same location on April 16, 2021.

A solicitor for Collopy asked the court not to activate any part of the four-year suspended term. He submitted that Collopy, now the father of a young son, had learned his lesson.

Judge Crowe noted that Collopy finds himself in a difficult position but said he had been given a chance in relation to a “considerable amount” of money, which was the proceeds of crime.

She said before the expiry of the fully suspended sentence; he had again been found money laundering the proceeds of crime. “The lesson has not been learned."

She said the process was not only about learning lessons but also about punishing criminal behaviour. She said moving the proceeds of crime was an integral part of criminal behaviour.

Judge Crowe activated two years of the suspended four years, making it consecutive to the 64-month sentence.