PSNI and Gardaí seek food festival winner
A HONEY producer, who last October won a gold medal for her ‘Heather Honey’ at the Blas na hÉireann Awards at the Dingle Food Festival, is under investigation by Gardaí, the PSNI and the FBI for a series of alleged fraud offences.
Julia Holmes (63), who is believed to have operated under at least 40 aliases, was deported from the United States back to Northern Ireland in the mid-2000s as she had reportedly been arrested in relation to an alleged half million dollar property scam.
She is also wanted in the North in connection with an allegation of fraud of up to £18,000.
She is believed to have absconded from the North in 2011 and the last known address was Askeaton, Co Limerick.
Ms Holmes operated a company called ‘Irish Bee Sensations’ and in October 2014, the product won a prestigious gold medal in the ‘Pure Irish Honey’ category at the Blas na hÉireann Awards which are held annually at the Dingle Food Festival.
A spokesperson for Blas na hÉireann told The Keryrman that a complete and thorough review into the matter is being conducted.
They said each producer who enters the awards must provide their Irish food business registration number from their approving body (example EHO/HSE/Dept of Agriculture) and that in this case the producer submitted their Environmental Health Office approval number.
“As always we conduct ongoing monitoring that award winning products which are available to consumers are of the same quality and integrity which was received and judged by our judges. Products are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that our logo is not misused,” the said.
When contacted by The Kerryman, the PSNI confirmed that they are seeking the public’s help in tracing Julia Holmes who absconded in 2011 after being charged with fraud and urged anyone who has been in contact with this woman to come forward.