A BUSINESSMAN who handled stolen mobile phones has been jailed for four years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Francis Hanley (38), of Callery House, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, and also Wheel Fixit, Monkstown, Co Dublin, was found guilty by a jury following a three-day trial.
Judge Kieran O'Connor said handling stolen property encouraged others to steal. While he was impressed by the character evidence called on Hanley's behalf, and by the eloquent plea from Mr Patrick Gageby SC, defending, he had no option but to impose a jail sentence.
Hanley was convicted unanimously by the jury of handling three mobile phones at Callery House on July 4th, 1995, knowing them to be stolen. The jury also found him guilty by a 10-two majority after almost three hours' deliberations of handling a stolen CD-player. Judge O'Connor earlier directed the jury to find Hanley not guilty of handling a set of stolen golf clubs.
Det Insp Eamonn O'Reilly told Mr Eamonn Leahy BL, prosecuting, the stolen goods were valued at £2,950. The phones had been stolen in Glenageary, Dun Laoghaire and Donnybrook from May 1st to July 2nd, 1995, and gardai found them in Hanley's briefcase.
Del Insp O'Reilly said Hanley had no previous convictions. He had a substantial business at Callery House, where he imported tyres and bought second-hand tyres which he remoulded or sold for scrap. Hanley started a tyre mending business called Wheel Fixit at Monkstown Farm when he left school aged 15. His wife now ran the Monkstown business.
Mr Gageby said it was an unusual case. Hanley had no previous convictions and was employed in a specialist business with six people working for him. He had worked hard to move himself up in the world.
The offences seemed totally out of character. It was difficult to understand what motivated a self-made businessman to become involved in handling stolen property.
Mr John Rogers, a chartered accountant, said he knew Hanley socially and professionally for 14 years and regarded him as an honest man. He was afraid Hanley's business would not survive without him.
Mr Rogers, replying to Mr Gageby, said he had no hesitation ever introducing Hanley to financial institutions because he always met his obligations on time. From starting in a ramshackle way in a Monkstown yard, he built up his business through hard work and turned Callery House from a dilapidated building into a fine home.
Further character evidence on behalf of Hanley was given by Mr John Nolan, a tyre merchant, and Mr Brian Matthews, who trades in machinery and materials for mending tyres.