AN Englishman caught with proofs of counterfeit £20 sterling notes has been jailed for two years by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Det Sgt Fergus Treanor, of the Garda Anti Racketeering Unit, described the former garage owner, Robert Fairbrother, as a "runner" for a major English criminal.
The gang also had counterfeit English MOT logbooks printed at Santry premises, which were under surveillance by the AntiRacketeering Unit in November 1994. Fairbrother was caught during this operation when he came out of the building carrying a packet containing proofs of the counterfeit notes.
Judge Cyril Kelly noted that, while the plates and negatives sent from England to Santry for the counterfeit operation were "excellent", the paper used by the Irish printer, Edward O'Brien, was of "atrocious quality".
Fairbrother (47), married but separated, from Norfolk, pleaded guilty to having forged banknotes in his possession on November 19th, 1994.
Last month O'Brien (43), with an address in Swords, was given a 30 month suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to having unlawful possession of implements of forgery.
Judge Kelly suspended the final year of Fairbrother's sentence. The court was told he had no previous convictions.
Det Sgt Treanor said the Santry premises were under surveillance as a result of confidential information received by the AntiRacketeering Unit. The partially finished banknotes were found when it was searched eventually. The total face value of the forged material was £5 million.