A Dublin man behind a credit card fraud in Co Galway, who told gardai they were idiots and would never be able to pin a thing on him, began a three-year prison sentence imposed at Galway Circuit Court yesterday.
Michael Lynch, from Crumlin, Dublin, with an address on Falls Road, Belfast, led a gang which defrauded businesses in Co Galway of more than £16,000. Gardai became aware of the card fraud on April 14th last. They mounted a surveillance operation and arrested Lynch on April 21st.
A man who had been arrested the previous day for handling stolen goods, had identified Lynch to gardai. Sgt Patrick McHugh, Ballinasloe, said Lynch had convictions dating back to 1986 for fraud and armed bank robbery, for which he got seven years, with six years suspended. He had 10 convictions in Northern Ireland during the time his sentence was suspended. A decision on the lifting of the suspension will be made on December 6th. Lynch has been in custody in the Republic since April.