A convicted fraudster avoided a sentence extension in court this week (July 7 ) after his father paid €2,200 in restitution for limousines for which the defendant paid with bounced cheques.
Shane Pouch (36 ), with an address at Stephenstown Lodge, Two Mile House, Naas, Co Kildare, but originally from Barrys Avenue, Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon, was appearing in the District Court in Athlone on two counts of passing off cheques for chauffeur services in Naas and Athlone in November 2008 worth a total of €2,750, which he had insufficient funds to cover.
These offences occurred only a month after Pouch’s application to take over the licence of Biddy Mulligan’s pub in Irishtown, Athlone fell through on account of the raft of similar he was facing across the country.
This week, Pouch was attending court from prison where he is serving a three-year sentence for those offences in Galway, Kilkenny, and Carlow, where his company, Platinum Catering Recruitment, left a debt trail of around €75,000 in 2007 and 2008. Inspector Nicholas Farrell told the court Pouch had 46 previous convictions and had a projected release date of November 29, 2011.
His solicitor, Ms Grainne O’Neill, pointed out to the court that the combined value of the two bounced cheques (€990 on November 13, and €1,300 on November 16 ) was €2,290, and Judge David Anderson accepted this as the value of the restitution expected.
Ms O’Neill handed in a psychiatrist’s report and a testimonial from the prison chaplain to the court.
“This is someone who seems unwilling to accept culpability,” said the judge to Ms O’Neill, after reading the psychiatric report.
However, Ms O’Neill argued that Pouch “has made admissions [of guilt] on both charges” and was accompanied in court by his father who, she said, was willing to loan the restitution payment to his son.
“The chaplain’s report suggests progress since incarceration and his family is very supportive,” she added.
“I can’t see any reason to add to his sentence,” said the judge after the defendant’s father handed over the €2,200 to Inspector Farrell, and sentenced Pouch to a concurrent eight months on each of the two charges before him.
