A mother of three who used cash raised through the activities of the notorious Keane crime gang to renovate a house has been spared a prison sentence to allow her to take care of her children.
Vicky Hehir pleaded guilty to laundering money by handing over €12,000 in cash to a builder to carry out renovation works at a home in Limerick City.
The Special Criminal Court previously heard that she was not working at the time and had no legitimate source of income other than the children's allowance.
That money, along with other cash amounts and Rolex watches that were subsequently seized by gardaí, was the proceeds of criminal activity related to the Keane organised criminal group.
At the three-judge court on Monday, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said to impose a custodial sentence on Hehir would be "unduly harsh" on her children and would have a disproportionate effect on them.
He sentenced Hehir to two years in prison, fully suspended, on condition that she refrain from any contact with members of the Keane gang or any organised crime group and reside away from the Keane strongholds in the Garryowen and Kilmurry areas of Limerick.
Her husband Warren Hehir – a "mid-level" member of the gang who is the nephew of murdered crime boss Kieran Keane – was sentenced to five years and three months in prison with the final twelve months suspended, also on the condition that he refrain from contact with members of any organised criminal group.
Vicky Hehir (30), also known as Victoria O'Halloran, of Bruach na Sionna, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, and her husband Warren Hehir (33), of the same address, appeared before the three-judge court to hear their sentences on Monday.
Warren Hehir had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing that on dates between August 8th, 2019, and June 17th, 2020, he possessed, used, converted, transferred or handled cash to the value of €59,000, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct, in discharging sums due and owing in respect of works carried out on Kilmurry Court, Garryowen, Limerick between August 8th, 2019, and June 17th, 2020.
He also pleaded guilty that on June 17th, 2020, at The Path, Garryowen, he handled, acquired or possessed a Rolex watch, knowing, believing or being reckless as to whether the watch was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Money laundering
Vicky Hehir had pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering in relation to the €59,000 for the works carried out at Kilmurry Court. The court heard that she handed over €12,000 to a builder on the instructions of her husband who was in prison at the time.
Mr Justice MacGrath said her involvement in money laundering was solely due to her marriage to Warren Hehir, placing her offending at the lower end of the scale.
In relation to Mr Hehir, Mr Justice MacGrath put his offending at the mid-level, but also noted his activities as a drug dealer were confined to "street dealing" and did not suggest he is a "master criminal".
He does not have the trappings of wealth or luxury that a higher level criminal might have and appears to have processed the benefits of crime for others rather than enjoying them for himself, the judge said.
He added there was evidence that Hehir is a "devoted family man and father" and will be a significant loss to his family when in prison.
Mr Justice MacGrath said the most significant mitigating factor for Warren Hehir was that he had pleaded guilty at an early stage. Having set a headline sentence of seven years and three months, the judge reduced that to five years and three months with the final 12 months suspended.
He said the court hopes that Hehir, who has 54 previous convictions including for money laundering and drug offences, will "turn away from further criminal activity".
The judge said it is incumbent on Hehir to "demonstrate his commitment to his children and be a law-abiding citizen and adopt a law-abiding way of life," as part of the conditions of his suspended sentence.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of two Rolex watches and all the money that was seized as part of the Garda investigation.
Investigations
At a sentencing hearing last November, Sergeant Cathal O'Sullivan, of Roxboro Road Garda station, told prosecuting counsel Fiona Murphy SC that the money laundering charges arose from an investigation launched to target the Keane Organised Crime Group in Limerick, which has its stronghold in Garryowen.
The sergeant said the Keane Organised Crime Group and its associates are suspected of the importation of firearms and drugs on a national and international level.
He said various searches of properties took place and one of the search warrants granted was for a property at The Path in Garryowen.
He said two items of relevance were discovered at this address on June 17, 2020, namely a men's Rolex watch valued at €13,600 and a woman's Rolex worth €6,000.
Other items found, said the witness, were plans for a house at Kilmurry Court in the names of Warren and Vicky Hehir.
An order to freeze the couple's financial accounts in various institutions was sought on foot of the search and other items were found.
The sergeant said details on several bank accounts from various institutions in the name of Vicky Hehir were sought in July 2020. An order was later granted seeking documentation from her bank accounts and the relevant material was received by gardaí.
Cash lodgements
Gardaí discovered that numerous cash lodgements of various amounts had been made to a certain bank account but there had been no withdrawals since 2014. Sergeant O'Sullivan said the source of these monies were unknown and unexplained.
Another AIB account was opened in 2017 and seven lodgements were in it and no withdrawals made.
Information received from the Revenue Commissioners showed that the couple hadn't worked as PAYE employees. No social welfare had been claimed by either of them but Vicky Hehir had been in receipt of children's allowance.
An investigation was launched by gardaí into Kilmurry Court, and it was established that Warren Hehir's mother, Sandra Hehir, had purchased the property in August 2017 and that €39,000 had been paid as a deposit for the house.
Sandra Hehir (54), with an address at Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick City, pleaded guilty in October last year at the Special Criminal Court to laundering over €100,000 in crime cash at her home.
Sgt O'Sullivan said it became apparent that the property at Kilmurry Court was being purchased on behalf of Warren and Vicky Hehir.
He said a planning application had been made by Sandra Hehir for an extensive renovation and extension to the property. Extensive works were carried out to the value of €59,000 and the monies were paid by the couple, he continued.
Giving the background to the Keane Organised Crime Group, Sgt O'Sullivan said it was traditionally based in the St Mary's Park area of Limerick, but it is now located in the Garryowen area.
He said in the early 2000s there was an amalgamation between the Keane-Collopy families but that they are now separate groups.
"They are now involved in an ongoing feud with the McCarthy-Dundon's since 2000.
"There has been a significant number of murders, attempted murders, and forearms seizures linked to that organised crime group," he said.R
The court heard that Warren Hehir has 54 previous convictions which include money laundering in the context of drug dealing, robbery, criminal damage and the possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Sgt O'Sullivan told Ms Murphy that the couple married in 2019 and had their wedding reception at Bunratty Castle in Co Clare, which was a significant family occasion for the Keane Organised Crime Group.
Vicky Hehir, he said, was arrested in August 2020 and engaged in four interviews with gardaí. Vicky Hehir told gardai she was no longer working as a hairdresser and had received €280 per month in child allowance.
The defendant said her relationship with her mother-in-law Sandra had broken down and that they were no longer on speaking terms.
The court heard Vicky Hehir indicated to gardaí that she had no other legitimate sources of income but did not accept that the monies came from an organised crime group.
Renovations
When asked about the renovations to Kilmurry Court, Vicky Hehir accepted €59,000 was paid for it and that she had paid €12,000 of this in cash.
The court heard that Warren Hehir didn't engage with gardaí during his detention other than to answer one question in relation to renovations at Kilmurry Court, in which he said: "I got the work done."
Sgt O'Sullivan said Warren Hehir is in the "mid-level" of the Keane Organised Crime Group, and that Vicky, who has one previous conviction for drugs, "is simply his wife".
Under cross-examination, Sgt O'Sullivan agreed with Dean Kelly SC, for Warren Hehir, that his previous convictions for drugs arose from allegations of street dealing and that the largest sum was in the region of €4,100.
His previous conviction for possession of a firearm related to possession of pellets and BB guns.
The witness agreed that no trappings of wealth and luxurious goods were evident in the couple's home. He also agreed that Warren Hehir is a family man who discharges his responsibilities and whose general approach to criminal allegations is to put his hands up and plead guilty when caught.
Sgt O'Sullivan agreed with Vincent Heneghan SC, representing Vicky Hehir, that his client had somewhat cooperated with the investigation by answering some questions of assistance.
The barrister said Vicky Hehir had moved away from Limerick City and is now based in Castleconnell. The witness agreed she is a full-time mother to her three children and dedicates herself to that role.
Counsel said his client "doesn't have any involvement nowadays with anyone connected to the gang" and her involvement was the handing over of €12,000 to a builder.
The sergeant agreed that Vicky was undoubtedly aware of her husband's obvious activities and that she had learnt from this event.
In mitigation, Dean Kelly SC submitted to the court that there was a sense of distinction between the couple in terms of where they were placed in the scheme of things.
"Warren agrees that Vicky would not be here were it not for him. These are my firm instructions and that goes to Warren's credit and how he has approached this case," counsel said.
