Large amount of cash found in Limerick taxi following drug deal

AN ENGAGED couple who were stopped by Limerick gardai while travelling in a taxi from Kerry to Dublin have avoided prison sentences for money laundering.

Ciaran Pidgeon, aged 54, and Joanne Traynor, aged 46, both of Rathgar Road, Dublin 6, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court.

Mr Pidgeon also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife. During a sentencing hearing, Detective Jonathon Finn said the taxi was stopped by gardai in Mungret at around 8pm on March 22, 2019.

“It was being driven at speed and the reg plate was dirty. A man was driving and a woman was a front seat passenger. They both seemed nervous,” he told prosecuting barrister John O'Sullivan.

When the driver - Mr Pidgeon - was asked to get out of the vehicle, gardai saw he was sitting on a hunting knife.
€11,000 in cash was discovered in a plastic bag which was found in the glove box. The (taxi) meter was on and the display read €532.

Following his arrest, Mr Pidgeon told gardai he received the money from his brother as a loan and that it was to be lodged in Ms Traynor’s account.

However, when gardai in Dublin called to his brother he informed them this was “completely wrong”.The brother told gardai he gave Ciaran Pidgeon a loan the previous October and that he paid it back in instalments.

Mr Pidgeon later admitted delivering drugs, which he received in Dublin, to Listowel where he collected €11,000 in cash.

“He said he had a knife for his own protection and only intended to use it if he was attacked,” Mr O’Sullivan told the court.

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The barrister said Ms Traynor willingly travelled to Kerry, accepted a sum of money, counted it and put it in a glove box.

Mr Pidgeon was a self-employed taxi driver at the time.

“He was under financial pressure due to a gambling relapse and a drug debt for cocaine. He has a previous conviction for possession of drugs for sale or supply which occurred while he was on bail for this matter,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

Jack Nicholas BL, for Mr Pidgeon, asked Det Garda Finn if his client found himself in debt to unsavoury individuals.

“He owed money to a financial institution and had a gambling and drug debt,” said Det Garda Finn.

Pat Whyms BL, who represented Ms Traynor, put it to the detective garda that it was “obviously not her gig” and she was “easily led”.

Yes,” said Det Garda Finn. In mitigation, Mr Nicholas said his client apologises to the court and had never been in any difficulty until he tried cocaine and met unsavoury people.

“They came to his home, threatened him and got him to store drugs,” he said adding he lost his taxi licence after the detection.

Mr Nicholas said his client has been “clean” of drugs for a considerable period of time and represents a 'low risk' of being before a court again.

Mr Whyms said his client, who has no previous convictions, had never been arrested before, lives an ordinary life and is currently working in a dry cleaning firm.

“She did participate in handling money. She knew it was the proceeds of crime. She allowed herself to be involved. She apologises to the court and gardai,” he said.

Judge Tom O’Donnell commented Mr Pidgeon has paid “a heavy price” for his actions.

“If you are going to involve yourself in criminality you have to face the consequences,” said Judge O’Donnell who imposed an

18 month prison sentence on Mr Pidgeon which he suspended for 18 months. The Probation Act was applied in the case of Ms Traynor. A forfeiture order for the €11,000 seized by gardai was granted.