A Monaghan man has become the second male to admit to involvement in the thefts of ATMS by a cross-Border gang.
Today at the three-judge court Special Criminal Court, Stephen Duffy, aged 35, of Tullynahinera, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, pleaded guilty to possessing cash at The Yard, Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath, on August 20, 2019.
Five men have been charged before the non-jury court in relation to an investigation into the theft of an ATM in Castleblayney in April 2019 and the attempted theft of an ATM in Virginia in August 2019.
Today, 25-year-old Stephen Duffy became the second male to admit involvement as he pleaded guilty to possessing cash at The Yard, Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath, on August 20, 2019.
The registrar said Duffy was charged with a serious offence, namely, the possession of cash for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organisation.
Duffy spoke only to acknowledge his name and reply "guilty" when the registrar read out the charge.
Duffy was remanded on continuing bail by presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt to January 14.
Last month, Niall Finnegan, aged 39, was jailed for four-and-a-half years, with the final 18 months suspended, for possessing the cash, which was the proceeds of the ATM thefts carried out by the gang.
Finnegan, of Cherry Grove, Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty in July at the court to possessing or handling €103,000 at Tullypole in August 2019.
In sentencing Finnegan, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said Detective Sergeant Mark Looby had given evidence to the court regarding an investigation into six ATM thefts in Cavan and Monaghan between September 2018 and August 2019.
The judge said these ATM thefts had been carried out by what gardaí believed to be a cross-border gang based in east Monaghan and south Armagh.
Detective Sergeant Looby said the gang had used excavators to rip the ATMs from their locations and had caused ‘significant amounts of criminal damage’.
He also said the gang had stolen €790,000 before arrests were made two years ago by undercover detectives monitoring the activities of suspects.
