Alleged Dublin Airport people-smuggler faces 19 more charges

Nineteen extra charges have been brought against an Aer Lingus worker accused of money-laundering and organising people-smuggling at Dublin Airport.

Peter Kernan, of Old Rectory Lodge, Celbridge, Co Kildare was remanded at Dublin District Court on continuing bail pending the preparation of a book of evidence.

He had been charged earlier with unlawfully facilitating the entry of two non-nationals into the State on January 9th and 22nd last. He also faced a charge alleging that from January 17th until January 23rd last, at a premises at Clane Road, Celbridge, he had proceeds of criminal conduct - €10,000, £790 and $284 - contrary to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act.

Trial on indictment

He is to face trial on indictment, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has decided, meaning he will be tried before a judge and jury in the Circuit Court.

However, he appeared again at Dublin District Court, where Judge Cormac Dunne heard the book of evidence was not yet ready. Judge Dunne was also told 19 new charges have been brought against the accused and will be part of the same case.

Det Garda Mark Henebry told the court Mr Kernan made no reply when the new charges were put to him. The accused did not address the court and his solicitor Michelle Finan said there was consent to the adjournment.

Judge Dunne granted a time extension to the DPP to complete the book of evidence and remanded Mr Kernan on bail to appear again in six weeks.

In the new charges there are additional counts for facilitating the entry of another five non-nationals into the State at the airport on December 29th and January 1st last.

The other 14 charges are under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act for having the proceeds of criminal conduct, totalling €40,354, at various locations including the GPO in O’Connell Street, Dublin, post offices in Celbridge and Enniscorthy, and at a business premises in the Ilac Centre in Dublin.

These offences are alleged to have occurred on dates from November 2014 until January this year.

He was arrested as part of an investigation by the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

Gardaí have seized Mr Kernan’s passport and his bail terms state he has to reside at his home address and notify gardaí of any change, sign on three times a week at Leixlip Garda station, provide gardaí with a mobile phone number on which he can be contacted at all times, and not apply for a new passport.