An organised criminal network which stole caravans in England and sold them in Ireland has been broken up by gardai in Galway, after a leading figure in the operation appeared before Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
Paddy Delaney (69), a businessman from Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, pleaded guilty to handling a caravan, knowing it to be stolen, in June, 1999.
Sgt Peter Geraghty gave evidence that on June 8th, 1999, he stopped a car towing a 5-berth caravan near Monivea, Co Galway. The driver told him he had just bought the caravan from the accused.
Sgt Geraghty became suspicious when he noticed the caravan's identification number had been scratched from the windows of the caravan, and also from the chassis. The driver had a receipt showing he had traded in his old caravan for £1,700 and paid an additional £3,700 to the defendant for the new caravan.
Contact with the English police confirmed that a large number of caravans had been stolen in England. The one which Sgt Geraghty found had been stolen from a compound in Lancashire. It was worth £12,500 sterling.
Delaney initially denied his involvement, but later admitted knowing the caravan had been stolen. He refunded the money to the customer and the caravan was confiscated by gardai.
Sgt Geraghty said a search of Delaney's compound in Ballinasloe uncovered 33 caravans, 30 of which had their identification numbers scratched off. Three caravans were confiscated by gardai.
Mr Conor Fahy, prosecuting, said this had been a well-organised criminal scheme. Sgt Geraghty agreed, adding that Delaney was a "big cog" in the criminal network.
Mr Martin Giblin SC, defending, said his client had worked all of his life to settle his family. He said Delaney's son was a respected businessman in Galway.
Judge Carroll Moran adjourned sentencing until July 25th, allowing Delaney time in the interim to pay the costs. He indicated he would impose a suspended three-year sentence and £2,000 fine on that date if the accused had paid all costs involved in the restoration of the caravans.