A SERIAL conman who became notorious by calling RTÉ's Livelineto talk about his crimes has been sentenced to seven years.
Francis Shanley (35) of Shannon Gate, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, and an address at Church View, Boyle, Co Roscommon, pleaded guilty to theft and three charges of inducing another to pay a deposit for camera equipment by purporting to be an authorised seller between January 25th and May 1st, 2006.
He also pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to inducing another woman to give possession of her car at James Place East on December 17th, 2007.
The court heard that Shanley is bi-polar and had developed an obsession with “fast cars and technology”.
He has 63 previous convictions, mainly for theft, which were dealt with in numerous courts around the country.
He has also been convicted in Northern Ireland for stealing camera equipment.
Garda Richard Daly said Shanley was “known throughout the country by gardaí” and had impersonated gardaí, coastguard and BMW officials in order to con people into handing over “high-powered motor cars”.
The court heard Shanley required medication to treat his psychological disorder as well as daily counselling.
Judge Yvonne Murphy said: “Mr Shanley is a conman with an uncanny ability to get people to hand over valuable property.”
The judge sentenced him to seven years with three suspended.