A 30-YEAR-OLD man who kept tens of thousands of pounds of criminal cash stuffed in cupboards, a sports bag and on his mantelpiece has been jailed for six months.
Niall Fearon, of New Road, Silverbridge, Co Armagh, was jailed at Newry Crown Court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property. He will serve six months in jail and eight months on licence.
He was arrested after officers from Revenue and Customs found €138,505 and £35,420, as well as a cash counting machine, at his Silverbridge home in April 2014. Fearon told investigators there was no cash on the premises but a large amount of cash was found hidden throughout the house and in vehicles.
Steve Tracey, from Revenue and Customs' fraud investigation service, said Fearon's house was "stuffed full of unexplained cash".
"But HMRC is taking criminal cash out of circulation and no one is beyond our reach," he said.
"The message is clear –crime doesn’t pay and if you try to reap benefits from a criminal lifestyle, we will come for you.
"If you know anyone who is evading their taxes, or handling large quantities of unexplained cash, you can report them by calling our 24-hour Hotline on 0800 59 5000."
The cash seized from Fearon's home will be returned to the public purse.
