Claimed he got dud note after sale of dog to ‘man in van’

A 31-year-old man told Gardaí that a counterfeit sterling note he was found in possession of had been given to him after he sold a dog to a man in a Northern Ireland registered van who stopped him in the street.

Tom Maughan of Ballingbrook Drive, Swinford, County Mayo told Sergeant Gerard Murphy that he was walking along the street in Charlestown with his dog when a man in a van pulled up alongside him and asked him would he sell the dog.

A deal was done for £20 and the defendant parted with the dog, said Sgt Murphy.

“Do you believe that?” Judge Kevin Kilrane asked Sgt Murphy.

“To be frank, I don’t” - Sgt Murphy. Maughan pleaded guilty to possession of the counterfeit note.

He was found in possession of the note after he was arrested on September 28th 2016 by Sergeant John Barry under the Public Order Act at a sitting of Tubbercurry District Court at Teach Laighne in the town.

Maughan was taken to Ballymote Garda Station where he was told to empty out his pockets.

Amongst the items, said Sgt Murphy, was a “note that I did not think looked genuine.”

The note was sent for analysis and it was subsequently confirmed to be counterfeit.

Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor (defending) said the defendant, a father of three, had basically “been sold a pup.”

Mr MacSharry pointed out that no charges were ever brought arising out of the defendant’s arrest at the court in Tubbercurry.

Judge Kilrane said that “messing about with counterfeit notes was a serious offence.”

He fined the defendant €100.