GAA TV volunteer caught with counterfeit cigarettes in north Louth pub car park

An Armagh GAA TV volunteer, who was charged over the seizure of 100,000 counterfeit cigarettes in the car park of a north Louth pub, has been given a suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court.

Daire McKenna (41) with an address at Rampart Pier, Derryadd, Craigavon pleaded guilty to keeping the Excellence brand of cigarettes for sale or delivery without the appropriate tax stamps being affixed at the Rosewood Country Club on October 29th 2020.

A further count of evading excise duty was taken into consideration as part of the sentencing hearing.

The cigarettes branded Excellence were discovered when gardai searched the boot of the car driven by the defendant into the car park that evening.

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Mr McKenna’s mobile phone and £900 sterling were also seized and an examination by the manufacturer confirmed that the cigarettes were counterfeit. The estimated loss to the State was €56,000 including excise and VAT.

The court had previously heard the defendant had five previous convictions in Northern Ireland – two for obstructing police, two more for common assault and one for possession of explosives with intent to endanger property for which he was sentenced to nine years in 2008.

Judge Dara Hayes noted all of those convictions pre-dated the offence before the court and the defendant, who worked as a videographer for Armagh GAA TV had not come to further adverse attention.

The father of three, who the court was told on the last occasion had a management position with a recruitment firm, is now a self-employed plasterer and had €5,000 with him as previously directed for the Turas counselling service, which he had raised through a credit union loan.

Judge Dara Hayes imposed a two and a half year sentence which he suspended in its entirety on Daire McKenna entering a good behaviour bond and while he said was giving him the opportunity to remain in the community, the judge warned him that the sentence will be served if he comes before him again for any type of offending.