Man to be sentenced for botched Dublin Port money laundering scheme
Dublin People 12 Dec 2024
By Eimear Dodd
A semi-retired publican told gardai he taped €78,000 in cash to the chassis of his car after seeing it on television.
Richard Setchfield (67) pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of criminal conduct on August 19, 2019 at Dublin Port.
Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, defending, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday hat his instructions are that his client ran a bar in Spain, which he lost due to the financial crash. His client then owed money to third parties and as result, was transporting cash.
The court heard Setchfield has no history of work or social welfare claims.
Detective Garda Sean Sheahan told Joe Mulrean BL, prosecuting, that Setchfield was queuing in his car to board a ferry to Cherbourg at Dublin Port, when a drugs and cash detection dog showed an interest in his vehicle.
Nothing was found when the car was initially searched, but an anomaly was found when it was x-rayed.
Setchfield of Mary Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth drove the car to New Customs House at Dublin Port and waited while the car was searched again.
Two packages containing a total of €78,000 in cash were found taped to the chassis of the car during this search and seized.
Setchfield said the money was his and from his own savings, including the sale of a Volkswagon car a week earlier. He said he hid it, that “no one knows I have it” and the money was to buy property, but he wasn’t going to tell the tax man about it.
Another €1,200 was found in Setchfield’s wallet and also seized. While he was waiting to retrieve his suitcase, he said the cash was his and he had concealed it as he’d seen on TV.
Two bank accounts belonging to Setchfield were examined, but there were no significant amounts of money in either account. Setchfield also had An Post account, which was used to buy the ferry tickets. Investigations showed that a false electricity bill was used when this account was opened.
He was interviewed by arrangement in May 2020. Setchfield told gardai that he was a semi-retired publican who was not on social welfare. He accepted he was stopped in the car and spoke with officials at the time.
He identified his passport and insurance disc from the vehicle. He said the car belonged to him and was registered in his name. Setchfield said he had the money from the sale of property and savings over the last four years. He said would be substantiated by travel documents in the custody of gardai.
He also said there were underlying circumstances that he didn’t want to disclose.
Setchfield has 25 previous convictions, including for road traffic offences and public order offences, some of which are from the UK.
Det Gda Sheahan said gardai were unable to confirm if Setchfield had a pub. He said Setchfield, who is a British national, said he was living in Spain before 2016, but this was not substantiated.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing said his instructions are that Setchfield was transporting the money for a third party.
Det Gda Sheahan said he couldn’t comment on this, but accepted the defence’s contention that Setchfield didn’t engage with gardai fully at an early stage.
The garda agreed that it was clear that Setchfield’s assertions that the money belonged to him were untrue.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing asked the court to take into account that his client was not driving an adapted car, and instead had the cash taped to the underside of the vehicle.
He said his client didn’t volunteer certain information when interviewed as he felt under pressure.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing said his instructions are that his client ran a bar in Spain, which he lost due to the financial crash. His client owed money to third parties and as result, was transporting cash.
A number of letters were handed to the court. Setchfield has 13 grandchildren.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing asked the court to adjourn the case to allow more documentation to be provided to the court about his client’s circumstances.
Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the case until January 27 next and remanded Setchfield on continuing bail.