A FORMER pupil of a Limerick fee paying secondary school who turned over an estimated €500,000 in bets on his smartphone arising from his “chronic gambling addiction” is set to escape a conviction for a money mule offence.
At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis, Judge Alec Gabbett indicated that he would not impose a conviction on Marcus Ryan (23), of Lakelands, Cullenagh, Ballina, County Tipperary, after commenting that his updated probation report “is very positive”.
Judge Gabbett said that Mr Ryan “is making great progress” after his solicitor, Daragh Hassett, told the court that his client intends to travel and asked that a conviction not be imposed.
Judge Gabbett said that, based on the trajectory Mr Ryan is currently on, “that would be the outcome”.
Previously Mr Hassett told the court that the background to his client’s money mule offence stemmed from debt arising from his “severe gambling addiction”.
Mr Hassett said that Mr Ryan “was gambling large sums. He estimates he turned over €500,000 in bets. At one stage, he was up €20,000, then down €20,000”.
Mr Hassett said that Mr Ryan’s “smartphone was turning over those figures. He was gambling on everything.”
Mr Hassett said that Mr Ryan owed money due to his “chronic gambling addiction” and “took the bait” when he received an anonymous Snapchat allowing another individual to use his bank account.
Mr Ryan has pleaded guilty that on February 23, 2022 , at AIB bank on Royal Parade, Killaloe, he engaged in possessing property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct, putting €10,000 into an AIB bank account in his own name while being reckless as to whether or not the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Sergeant John Jenks previously told the court that Mr Ryan provided his bank details to an unknown man for the transfer of money, which was then withdrawn in denominations in Dublin.
The sergeant said that “the person involved has not been identified. He was observed on CCTV but was highly disguised”, adding that Mr Ryan met him by appointment in January 2023 at Killaloe Garda Station where “he made full admissions in relation to the bank account”.
Sgt Jenks said that Mr Ryan “benefited to the tune of €900” and has no previous convictions.
Mr Hassett told the court that “Mr Ryan went to a very good school and had a great start in life. His parents sent him to Villiers secondary school in Limerick”, adding that Mr Ryan found an outlet in sports and played inter-provincial hockey for Munster.
The court heard that Mr Ryan “has put a lot of work in his recovery” and now has an app on his phone that acts as a blocker to prevent him downloading online gambling account.
Mr Hassett added that Mr Ryan is working “as a landscape gardener for a family member. He is committed to staying away from gambling,” telling the court that his client doesn’t know where or from whom the money was laundered.
Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to March 2025 to allow continued monitoring in the case.
