Ted Cunningham, who received a 10 year sentence for attempting to launder more than £3million from the Northern Bank robbery, has consented to a confiscation order for €343,520 which he is to pay to the Irish State. The Irish Times report notes “Cunningham, who had been granted free legal aid by Judge Murphy, is appealing both his conviction and his sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal but it may be next year before the appeal is heard.”
The report also has comments from the judge during sentencing:
At sentencing, the judge said Cunningham had committed a serious offence involving a large sum of money and a variety of methods of disposal or laundering including many which involved innocent people.
“There is no doubt but that there was premeditation and planning involved in the offences and during the trial itself, he persisted right to the end with a concocted alibi that the Bulgarians were buying a pit in Shinrone.
“It was a reasonably well constructed alibi and its genesis may have been before the Northern Bank raid took place,” said Judge Murphy, adding that Cunningham had also persisted with a claim that he was coerced by gardaí into making certain admissions. “He persisted right to the end of his trial that these various admissions were as a result of illness, lack of sleep, threats or inducements – it was found by the jury, as it was by me during the voir dire, that these admissions were made freely and voluntarily,” he said.
The BBC’s Shane Harrison’s report at the time noted those admissions.
Adds Some related news? – “Minister for Justice has announced a fresh crackdown on money laundering, with the publication of a new bill which implements the requirements of the EU Money Laundering Directive.”
More related news – “The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed a Co Cork chef’s [Don Bullman] appeal against his conviction for membership of the IRA.”
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