A part-time office manager with Binchys Solicitors was yesterday sentenced to three days in prison for obstructing CAB officers carrying out a search of their offices for evidence relating to former Dublin assistant city and county manager Mr George Remond and others.
Thomas McGrath (71), Ashfield Park, Terenure, Dublin, pleaded guilty to hiding a file of material interest to the Criminal Assets Bureau during its search of the firm's offices on Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, on Thursday.
Dublin District Court heard the CAB was granted a warrant to carry out the search for the purpose of looking for evidence in relation to the activities of three people: Mr Redmond, Castleknock; Mr James Kennedy, with addresses in the Isle of Man and Westmoreland Street, Dublin, and Mr Charles Duffy of Howth, Dublin.
During the search Mr McGrath hid a file in a compartment of a photocopying machine. The file was recovered yesterday morning.
Det Insp John McDermott of the CAB said he initially denied any knowledge of it but when he was shown the file, he took responsibility and said he had hid it to prevent it being found by officers. His explanation was that it was "of no relevance". He was arrested yesterday afternoon.
Insp McDermott said he had worked with Binchys since 1968 and was a man of previously exemplary character. His barrister said he believed in his own mind that the file was of no relevance and with several members of the CAB in the office, he panicked and committed this offence.
It had been done without the sanction of his employers and three of the partners in the firm were out of the office. It was done out of sense of "misplaced loyalty" and the whole incident, including spending three hours in the cells, had been "a salutary lesson".
Judge Early said he had unlawfully concealed a file of relevance in a case of the utmost seriousness. He noted McGrath had pleaded guilty and had an unblemished record. "But people come before this court from the most appalling backgrounds and labouring under huge disadvantage and they get sent to jail for crimes they commit because they are held to be responsible. And Mr McGrath is responsible for his actions."
He imposed a mitigated sentence of three days in prison, given his good character and age. The judge fixed his own bond of €200 with an independent surety of €200 for the purposes of bail pending appeal.