Couple to vacate house CAB says ‘was bought with proceeds of crime’
A COUPLE have agreed in the High Court to vacate their home which the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) claims was acquired with the proceeds of crime.
Kenneth Carpenter and Elaine Byrne gave the undertaking before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart to leave the house at Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, by July.
CAB, which has various freezing orders against the couple, alleges Mr Carpenter is active in the sale and supply of drugs, has a number of previous convictions for drugs offences, and associates with known criminals in south and west Dublin.
CAB claims the couple have enjoyed an affluent lifestyle and spent lavishly, despite having no credible explanation for the source of their funds. The sums of money spent by them do not correlate with their known income, CAB also claims.
CAB had sought an order deeming the house, which was bought for €317,000 in 2007, as being acquired with the proceeds of crime.
It claims Mr Carpenter submitted false information to obtain a mortgage for it. He described himself as being a salesperson with a motor car company, earning some €75,000 per year.
The bureau said Mr Carpenter did not work for that firm.
The court heard that CAB officers seized €20,000 in cash and a bulletproof vest following a search of the house in May2017.
It is claimed that in 2016 and 2017, Ms Byrne purchased thousands of euro worth of designer goods and had a platinum loyalty card in Brown Thomas, despite claiming her only income was her lone parent’s allowance.