Four refused bail in credit card scam case

Four of the eight people accused of running a bank-card cloning scam have been refused bail at the Dublin District Court.

All eight are charged under Section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act 1991 with interfering with bank data at ATMs on O'Connell Street in Dublin between August 1st and September 4th this year.

They were arrested on Tuesday at two addresses in Dublin where bank-card scanning equipment and several thousand pounds were found.

Mr Catalin Tatarasanu (40) with an address at Faulkner Terrace, Kilmainham was refused bail.

The court heard that Mr Tatarasanu had an apartment in Brussels and had ordered two false passports - one Irish and one Greek - from a source in Iceland. He will appear at Cloverhill District Court on September 13th.

His wife Daniela (28) was released on her own bail of £3 and an independent surety of £1,500. She is obliged to reside at her address in Faulkner Terrace and will appear before the Dublin District Court on November 1st.

The identity of another man arrested at the same address - Mr David Robert - could not be corroborated and he was refused bail and will appear at Cloverhill District Court on September 13th.

Mr Lucian Mitrache (19), with an address at Orchard Court, Blackpool in Cork, was remanded in custody pending a further bail hearing in the Dublin District Court on September 11th.

It was suggested to the court that Mr Mitrache’s marriage to an Irish national was one of convenience and that his residence was No 2 Hamond Lane - where he was arrested along with four others.

Ms Christina Borcea (18) - who was also arrested in Hamond Lane was remanded to appear before Dublin District Court tomorrow. Ms Borcea claims she is due to marry an Irish national who is expected to verify these claims.

No decision was reached concerning the bail application for Mr Adrian Timpu (22). He was remanded in custody pending a hearing at Cloverhill District Court on September 13th.

Confirmation of the identity of Mr Ifrim Costel (20) could not be established this afternoon and he was refused bail. He is due to appear before Cloverhill District Court on September 13th.

The Garda objected to bail in all eight cases.