Woman caught transporting over €42,000 was a “stooge” for others

By Eimear Dodd

A woman who was transporting over €42,000, which were the proceeds of crime, was a “stooge” for others, a court has heard.

Dorothy Roe (37) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possession of the proceeds of crime on May 5, 2022.

She has three previous convictions for minor road traffic offences.

Defence counsel Barry Ward BL told the court his client became involved in criminality to help repay her brother’s drug debt and due to her own addiction at the time. He suggested she was a “stooge” for others who were confident she would do their bidding.

The court heard yesterday that gardaí put in place a surveillance operation of Roe after receiving confidential information.

On the day in question, they observed Roe travel to a number of properties in Lucan and Clondalkin driving a 142 Audi car.

Gardaí saw Roe go to an address in Clondalkin, where a third party was seen coming out of a house and taking a rucksack and jacket from the car.

Roe was stopped by gardaí at around 5.30pm after travelling to the Bluebell area. €42,430 in cash was found in a Base pizza bag in the front passenger side of the car.

A number of properties were searched, including Roe’s address at Shackleton Hall, Dodsborough, Lucan, Co. Dublin, where two notebooks were found.

The investigating garda said these notebooks were used as “ledgers” and covered a 17-month period between January 2021 and the date of her arrest.

Roe was arrested and interviewed four times. She accepted she was in possession of the money and that it was the proceeds of crime, saying she had been reckless.

Roe was also the registered owner of a 141 Hyundai car, with an estimated value of around €10,000 to €12,000. When gardaí searched it, they found a retrofitted concealed area in its boot.

The investigating garda agreed with Mr Ward that his client would have no expertise to retrofit this compartment.

It was also accepted that Roe entered an early guilty plea, made admissions and was co-operative with gardaí.

It was further agreed that Roe took responsibility for the money and made it clear to gardaí that a third party who was in the car when it was stopped had not been involved.

The witness also agreed that Roe was remorseful and has no previous convictions for this type of offending.

The garda agreed with Mr Ward that Roe had no trappings of wealth and is in receipt of some social welfare benefits.

Mr Ward put it to the garda that his client became involved in this offending to help her brother repay a drugs debt.

The garda said he couldn’t say, but noted Roe did not mention this when interviewed.

Mr Ward suggested that fear may cause people not to tell gardaí about a drugs debt, which was generally accepted by the garda.

The garda agreed with Mr Ward’s suggestion that his client’s usefulness to third parties reduced once she was charged.

Defence counsel put to the garda that the notebooks are consistent with someone who is involved in criminality under duress, but the witness said he couldn’t say if this was the case.

Responding to a query from Judge Sarah Berkeley, the garda said Roe was “trusted” by a criminal organisation to “move money”.

He accepted Mr Ward’s suggestion that there was no evidence that Roe sought to be involved in criminality.

Mr Ward told the court that while his client is the registered owner of the Hyundai, another party bought it for her and she had no proprietary interest in this vehicle, which was provided to her several months before this offence.

He said the Audi is registered to another family member.

Mr Ward said his client is a carer for her son and her mother. She experienced a period of homelessness, but now has stable accommodation.

Roe is in remission for breast cancer.

A number of references and a letter of apology were handed to the court.

Mr Ward said his client comes from a “well-regarded family” who have no history of involvement in this type of activity.

He also noted that she had addiction issues at the time, but has since detoxed.

Judge Berkeley said it appeared that Roe was a “trusted person” in a “sophisticated” scheme for the transportation of money.

She directed the preparation of a probation report and adjourned the case to July 8 for finalisation.