A painter who was holding money in his house for a major criminal has been given a four year suspended sentence.
Judge Kieran O'Connor was told that £14,950 was found in Liam Russell's house during a Garda search arising out of the investigation into the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.
Russell (31), married, of Harelawn Avenue, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling money which was the proceeds of crime on June 24th, 1996. He had no previous convictions.
Russell made a statement saying he was holding the money as "a favour" for somebody he could not name. He had this cache in the house for some days and had held other caches for the same person in previous weeks. He said he was paid from £250 to £300 on each occasion.
Mr Murphy said that others charged in relation to this matter had all been dealt with through suspended sentences.