A former member of the Air Corps has been jailed for one year by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for "laundering" £105,000 which he held on behalf of a criminal drugs organisation.
Desmond McHugh (41), married, of Cherrywood Crescent, Clondalkin, was convicted by a jury of handling £95,785 and £7,240 sterling on November 7th, 1996, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of drug-dealing by his brother-in-law, Mark Connor.
McHugh told gardai, in a statement which was read to the jury, that he was holding the money for Mark Connor. The jury found him guilty on the second day of his trial.
Det Sgt Anthony Hughes of Clondalkin Detective Unit, who was in charge of the case, said McHugh claimed he knew Mark Connor "to be a robber" and added that Connor also once introduced him "to a header from Ballyfermot called Dee-Dee O'Driscoll".
Mr Maurice Collins, defending, submitted that McHugh had retired from the Air Corps with an honourable discharge after 21 years' service.
Mr Collins said that while McHugh had not resiled at any time from his statement of admission, he had not impugned the gardai in any way. Counsel said McHugh had very unwisely done "a turn" for his brother-in-law and benefited only by getting £100, but had landed himself in a very serious situation. He had felt wrongly that he had to let Connor use him and was the innocent victim of someone else's criminality. He appealed for leniency.
Judge Dominic Lynch said he had no option but to jail McHugh because of the seriousness of the offence and the harm illegal drugs did to society.
He also had to have regard to the maximum 14-year sentence, but in view of all the matters urged by Mr Collins he felt 12 months was the appropriate term in this case.