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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
John Hand

Man who sold passport used by Daniel Kinahan says he was 'off his head' and didn't know who it was for

This is a man who sold a passport which was used by crime boss Daniel Kinahan for six years to travel.

Seamus Walsh, 43, was before Dundalk Circuit Court on Friday where it was heard he was paid €2,000 after being approached by a member of the "travelling community" in 2011.

The bogus travel document was used by "Daniel Joseph Kinahan, a senior figure in Organised crime", it was heard.

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Walsh, with an address in Dundalk, has pleaded guilty to selling his passport contrary to the Passports Act 2008. The accused was present today for his sentencing hearing as Det Garda Feidhlim McKenna gave evidence.

The garda, of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, confirmed to the court that the probe began when a complaint was made by the passport office in November 2017.

The complaint centered around the picture in the document, which did not match that of Walsh's public services card. The supporting documentation used to apply for the passport in 2011 - an electricity bill, a drivers' licence and a bank statement - were all later found to be bogus.

The picture that was with the application was not Walsh's but of Kinahan. After the passport arrived at Walsh's address in 2011, he handed it over to an "unknown traveller".

Walsh was a heroin addict at the time, and he claimed that this man had been in and out of his house selling drugs. The court heard that Walsh did not know who he got the passport for and was "off his head" on heroin at the time.

Det Gda McKenna agreed with defence Barrister Ronan O'Carroll that Walsh has no associations with organised crime.

Mr O'Carroll said his client made full admissions to gardai when he was questioned, which he did voluntarily. He said that Walsh was "in the throes of a heroin addiction" and was very vulnerable when he was approached.

The court also heard that Walsh has been clean from heroin and drugs since 2016 and is a full-time carer for his 75-year-old mother who has serious health issues.

Judge Dara Hayes told the court that while the accused was not aware of who this passport was to be used by, it was obvious that it was going to be used for a highly unlawful act.

Judge Hayes also said that a custodial sentence was a real possibility. He asked for three urinalysis tests to confirm Walsh is off drugs. He adjourned sentencing until April 25.

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