A trusted gang "adherent" who laundered hundreds of thousands of euro for the Kinahan criminal organisation has been jailed for five years by the Special Criminal Court this morning, while his partner and co-accused has walked from court with a suspended sentence.
Jonathan Harding, of Kerdiff Avenue, Naas, Co Kildare, was caught after he was spotted by gardaí leaving an arsenal of firearms and ammunition that could "arm a small country".
Harding (48) was sentenced this morning for laundering a total of over €342,000 for what Mr Justice Tony Hunt called a "serious criminal organisation" of which Harding was a "trusted adherent" from 2012 to 2016.
Today, Mr Justice Hunt sentenced Harding to six years and nine months' imprisonment but suspended the final 18 months on five separate charges, leaving a net sentence of five years and three months. All the sentences are to run concurrently.
Guilty plea
Mr Justice Hunt mitigated the sentences downwards for Harding's early plea of guilty to the five offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010.
Forensic analysis of accounts linked to Harding's partner Carol Davis (45) of Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin, Dublin 22, had also revealed that over €44,000 was spent on travel while €40,000 was spent on a mobile home, the non-jury court heard.
An analysis of accounts linked to Harding showed that €52,000 was spent on travel alone, but that gardaí had no ability to say who took the flights concerned.
Ms Davis, who was not aware of Harding using her accounts, pleaded guilty to three offences under the same Act and received a three-year suspended sentence on all offences.
Detective Sergeant Tom Anderson, of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, previously told Ms Fiona Murphy SC, prosecuting, that on January 24th, 2017, on foot of a warrant targeting organised crime, gardaí went to a business premises in Greenogue, Rathcoole, Dublin 24.
Det Sgt Anderson said that two men were observed leaving the premises while the search was about to be executed.
The witness said that 15 firearms, including a Kalashnikov, a sub-machine gun, and a semi-automatic weapon were found alongside a device to manufacture vehicle registrations, while a stolen forklift and a mobile tracking device were also found.
