Convicted Limerick killer - who has never worked - jailed for ‘grandiose’ renovations paid for with crime cash

A CONVICTED killer who has never had a job has been jailed for two years and eight months after he spent €100,000 in crime cash carrying out “grandiose” renovations on his family home in Limerick. 

At the Special Criminal Court this Monday, Ms Justice Karen O’Connor said that offending of this nature allows criminality to function, as she jailed Richard Treacy, aged 37, and ordered that money seized by gardaí from the defendant’s house be forfeited to the State.  

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Treacy, of Downey St, Garryowen, pleaded guilty that he, between January 1, 2014, and January 12, 2021, knowing or being reckless as to whether renovation work carried out at his home address was the proceeds of criminal conduct, did disguise the true source of the property.    

The offence is contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.  

Ms Justice O’Connor said that an aggravating factor was the significant amount of funds seized and the fact that the offending occurred over seven years.   

The presiding judge said that mitigating factors included Treacy's plea of guilty, which saved court time and resources, and the fact that he gave some cooperation during the investigation.   

Ms Justice O’Connor noted that he had ten previous convictions, including one for manslaughter and another for violent disorder. He also has a conviction for dangerous driving causing serious harm.  

She said that the property was a modest one and €100,000 represented a significant amount of money. She said that an offence such as this helps further criminality to take place, and it also impacts on the citizens of our society. 

The judge noted that the defendant was not of previous good character, with previous convictions for violent disorder and dangerous driving having occurred during the period of the offending currently before the court.  

Setting a headline sentence of four years, Ms Justice O’Connor said the court would reduce this by one third, leaving a sentence of two years and eight months.  

On behalf of the State, Fiona Murphy SC asked that the money seized by gardaí be forfeited. She said that the forensic accountant in the case could not account for this additional money.  

Ms Justice O’Connor said that £3,900 in sterling and €4,000 were significant amounts of cash recovered by gardaí, and as the defendant had no history of employment and was in receipt of social welfare, she made an order for the forfeiture of this money.  

Regarding separate amounts of cash found, €600 and €515, Ms Justice O’Connor said that an explanation was given that this money was social welfare payments and money the defendant had saved, so she said the court was not making an order for the forfeiture of those sums.  

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At a sentencing hearing in July, Detective Garda Ronan O’Reilly gave evidence that on June 17, 2020, gardaí searched the house at Garryowen and found £3,900 in sterling and €4,000 in a sock drawer of the bedroom. Two further quantities of cash were found in a kitchen cupboard.  

Treacy told gardaí in a voluntary memorandum that another person was the registered owner of the house and that renovation works were carried out on the property.  

He said a family member gave him the €4,000 for an extension on the house. No explanation was given for the sterling, and Treacy said the two quantities amounting to over €1,000 found in the kitchen were from savings and his dole money.  

Detective Garda O’Reilly said Social Welfare and Revenue were contacted in relation to Treacy’s work history and confirmed there was no record of the accused ever having been employed. There was evidence of some claims that had been attributed to Treacy from a number of court actions.  

He confirmed to counsel that a guilty plea was entered by Treacy on the first day of the trial, which had been expected to last two weeks, and it was accepted that €100,000 was spent on renovating the house.  

Det Garda O’Reilly said Treacy resides at the property in question with his partner and children. He told the court Treacy has ten previous convictions, including for manslaughter, dangerous driving causing serious harm and violent disorder. Treacy also has previous convictions for careless driving and public order offences.  

Referencing the violent disorder offence, Det Garda O’Reilly said the defendant and some of his relations got involved in a violent disorder incident “with a feuding other family in the city”.  

Regarding the manslaughter conviction, Det Garda O’Reilly said this was “another feud related incident”. He said the deceased was a relation of a high-end criminal in the city.  

Ms Murphy SC said the evidence and the basis the plea was entered on was that monies had been paid for renovations on a home in the city centre making it “grandiose”.