Law « Thurles Information

Gardaí Investigate Vehicle Collision Near Thurles, Co. Tipperary

Thurles Gardaí attended at the scene of a road traffic collision in the area of the Horse & Jockey near Thurles, Co. Tipperary yesterday (August 3rd 2021) at approximately 5.50pm.

The Vehicles involved included a lorry and a motorcyclist.

A man understood to be from the locality, aged in his 50s was injured and taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment.

A man in his 80s was arrested and conveyed to Templemore Garda Station.
He was later released, pending a file being forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Investigations remain ongoing.

Motor Vehicles, Seized In Tipperary, Represent Proceeds Of Crime.

High Court judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens has found that 84 motor vehicles and a trailer seized in Co. Tipperary represent the proceeds of crime. The property annexed, which were seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, remain one of the largest collections of such assets ever taken in just a single operation, since it began its operations some 25 years ago.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens made a similar finding with regards to €153,000 held in a car dealing company’s bank account in Bank of Ireland, Tralee, Co Kerry, controlled by a Lithuanian businesswoman, Agne Khan, and her brother-in-law, Jawad Khan.

Mr Justice Owens granted the bureau’s application for orders, under ‘section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act’, declaring the 84 vehicles, the trailer and the €153,000, as representing directly or indirectly the proceeds of crime.

From evidence presented by the Criminal Assets Bureau, the judge further concluded, that Agne Khan and her husband Khurran Khan, both of whom reside in the English west midlands, were central to large mandate frauds; while others, such as her brother-in-law, were employed in motor dealership businesses, latter used to launder the cash proceeds of same.

Mr Justice Owens stated that it was clear that the frauds have enriched the Khan family by some €3.5 million, and large elements of personal and business assets, under their control, were undoubtedly derived from fraud; the proceeds of which had been introduced into their motor dealerships both in England and Ireland.

Transactions, introducing capital from mandate frauds were used to buy vehicles which were traced to the motor dealing firm “Autology”, trading as “Autopace”, with registered offices at Unit 1, Ballywilliam, Carrigatoher, Nenagh. Khurran Khan had taken control of Autology from September 2018. Same began trading in used motor vehicles under the name Autopace. The judge further concluded that Agne Khan (latter married to Khurran Khan) and Jawad Khan (latter married to Simona Khan), controlled the ‘Autology’, bank account through Bank of Ireland, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

One other company, “SJK”, which had earlier traded from the same Tipperary address, also it was stated, did not accord with any honest or normal method of cash introduction into a business.
SJK Wholesale Ltd, was another motor dealing company controlled by the Khans, which ceased trading in late 2018 following tax irregularities which were uncovered in subsequent Revenue investigations.
It was estimated that the Khan family, in absconding from the SJK company, took with them all trading proceeds; leaving behind unpaid VAT liability to the Irish State of at least €623,000. The judge was satisfied the business affairs of SJK were controlled by Khurran Khan and a business associate.

Mr Justice Owens stated that Khurran Khan had a track record of significant criminal activity involving fraud through the control of Autology and a number of other companies and unincorporated business entities in Ireland and England.

Members of this Khan family were arrested in England back in September last and premises in England and Ireland had been searched, including the motor dealership premises at Ballywilliam, Nenagh and houses at Slate Quarry, Portroe, Tipperary and Killaloe, Co Clare.

In total, 89 vehicles and a trailer were seized here in Ireland, however five vehicles were deemed not to be associated with the Khans and were handed back to their original owners.

In 10 linked such frauds investigated under ‘Operation Brasenose’, more than €1.3 million was stolen. In another series of frauds concerning the NHS and investigated under ‘Operation Kangchenjunga’, more than €900,000 was stolen, High Court judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens stated.

Sisters Loose High Court Cases Against Tipperary County Council

Two sisters, named as Kelly Hannon and Sarah Hannon have lost their claims for compensation, over what was alleged trip-and-fall accidents in Greenane Drive, Tipperary town, where they resided.

Judge Michael Twomey noted in the High Court that four other members of the same family had made similar claims, which defendant Tipperary County Council calculated had a one-in-26 million chance of having actually ever happened.

Judge Twomey praised the council for fighting the cases, even though the taxpayer, will be left to foot the council’s legal bill, since the plaintiffs have insufficient funding money to pay the court costs.

Judge Twomey, noting that four other members of the same family had made similar claims said that the Councils actions might discourage further similar claims, thus easing the backlog in the courts, if plaintiffs ‘find it more difficult to persuade lawyers to spend their valuable time on “nuisance claims” with the knowledge that outcomes will have little chance of success.

Judge Twomey said Kelly Hannon had claimed that on August 17, 2015, she suffered soft-tissue injuries when she got her right foot caught in an uncovered drain, which was 25cm square in the council estate in which she has lived for her entire life, namely Greenane Drive, Tipperary town. Her claim was heard at the same time as an almost identical claim by her sister, Sarah Hannon, who lives in the same estate, and claimed she suffered soft-tissue injuries when she caught her right foot on an uncovered drain at the side of a pavement on June 7, 2016, about 30 metres from the drain in which her sister tripped.

The Circuit Court heard that the sisters were part of a family that had made a total of six claims against Tipperary County Council relating to trip-and-fall accidents in Tipperary town, most of which were around the Greenane estate.

Past claims by Hannon family members included:-
Sarah Hannon’s half-brother John Price, who alleged he suffered a ‘trip and fall’ in Tipperary town on February 21st, 2013; her half-brother Billy Price alleged he suffered a ‘trip and fall’ in Tipperary town on October 12th, 2015; her mother Geraldine Hannon alleged she suffered a ‘trip and fall’ on a pothole in the vicinity of the Greenane estate on September 27th, 2015; and her sister Keisha Hannon, who alleged she suffered a ‘trip and fall’ in a pothole in the vicinity of the same Greenane estate, on April 13th, 2016.

Judge Twomey dismissed the appeals of both Sarah and Kelly Hannon against the previous loss of their cases in the Circuit Court.

Gardaí Recovered Cocaine & Cannabis On Tipperary Waste Ground.

On Tuesday July 20th 2021, Gardaí from the Carrick on Suir and Clonmel areas responded to a report that shots had been fired on the Railway line at St. Johns, Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary.

Witnesses had reported seeing two men on the raiway line in possession of a firearm and that 4 shots had been discharged, using the weapon.

Gardaí later executed two search warrant issued under Section 29 of the Offences against the state act 1939, on two local addresses. During the course of these searched, a small quantity of drugs were recovered.

On Friday last, July 22nd 2021, in a follow up operation from this investigation into the unlawful discharge of a firearm in Carrick on Suir on Tuesday July 20th 2021, Garda from Carrick-On-Suir conducted a further search of wasteland adjoining the railway near St. John’s Terrace.

It was during the course of this search, assisted by Garda dog “Buddy” from the Cork Dog unit, that Gardaí recovered cocaine and cannabis with a street value of approximately €3,000, on waste ground adjacent to private houses.

One male in his late 20s has since been arrested for an offence under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 and detained in Clonmel under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The man has since been released, with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Persons with any information in relation to this incident is urged to contact Clonmel Garda Station at Tel: 052 6177640.

High Court Defamation Claim Against Iconic Newspapers Ltd Fails.

Consultant engineer Mr Michael Reilly (aged 62 years), of Ballycullen, Mullinahone, Thurles, Co Tipperary, has failed in his defamation action against Iconic Newspapers, latter publishers of the ‘Kilkenny People’ newspaper.

Mr Reilly now faces what is believed to be a six-figure legal bill, following the High Court order that he pay the full costs of his five day jury action.

In her decision, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds, decided that there was no case for the sitting jury to decide, since the article published enjoyed absolute legal privilege as a fair and accurate report of the court proceedings. She therefore withdrew the case from the jury.

The action had been taken following the Kilkenny People newspaper’s report in its February 19th, 2016, edition, which referring to a man of the same name and same address, latter who was convicted of driving with no insurance. The judge remarked in her decision following the withdrawing of the case from the jury, that it was unfortunate Mr Reilly did not avail of a published clarification offered by the newspaper to have the matter resolved at the earliest opportunity.

Mr Reilly, the court heard, was himself experienced in litigation, as indeed was his partner Ms Monica Leech. Ms Leech, herself a former PR consultant, had been awarded €1.25 million in a defamation action taken in 2009, following a series of Evening Herald newspaper articles, had been holidaying with Mr Reilly in France, when Mr Reilly first became aware of the published newspaper article.