€12,000 in €50 notes thrown out window of moving car on Kilkenny road

A man who threw a package of €12,000 out of a car window has appeared before Kilkenny Circuit Court charged with money laundering.

Dominic  Watkins, 57 Convent Lawns, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was “forced out of fear to carry out the task,” the court was told.

Having pleaded guilty to the charge a suspended prison sentence was imposed by Judge Jonathan Dunphy.

Evidence was heard that on December 22, 2022, gardaí were conducting observation of a premises in Ferrybank, Waterford. 

A car in which Mr Watkins was a passenger was seen to call to the house and make a delivery. When the car left gardaí followed it. The vehicle was stopped and searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Just before the vehicle was stopped, gardaí observed an item being thrown from the car. They seized a bundle of cash wrapped in cling film - €12,000 in €50 notes.

Mr Watkins took full responsibility and when arrested made certain admissions to gardaí.

Mr Watkins said he made the journey with a package because he had a drugs debt. This would have wiped that debt.

He was a “drug courier” the court was told. His role was to bring the drugs to Waterford and bring back the cash.

Mr Watkins had not been on the garda radar prior to this but he had been a drug user and had racked up a debt. He would not have profited from this task, just lessened his own debt. His client was threatened and feared the consequences if he didn’t comply, the barrister said.

The defendant cooperated fully with gardaí and made admissions when interviewed. He entered an early guilty plea. He said he was “forced out of fear to carry out this task,” according to his barrister. He was in possession of what was “effectively the proceeds of crime.”

A Probation Report said Mr Watkins had mental health issues and started using cannabis. He had gotten into debt and also credit card debt, but since has cleared all those debts. Letters from two banks were handed in to court to back this up.

Mr Watkins had reflected on his actions and said he acted out of fear rather than a calculated decision.

He is at low risk of reoffending, according to the report.

The defendant is a black belt in karate, which is a healthy outlet for managing his stresses.

Judge Dunphy said Mr Watkins engaged in money laundering the proceeds of drug dealing by others, but facilitated by the defendant. €12,000 is a large sum of money, the judge said, and without money laundering criminal organisations are at a distinct disadvantage and can’t use their ‘ill gotten gains.’

Judge Dunphy convicted Mr Watkins of money laundering and imposed a prison sentence of two and a half years, fully suspended for two and a half years on condition he enter into a peace bond.