Fiona Ferguson and Brion Hoban
A former psychic serving a jail term for the money laundering of €1.6 million has admitted having fake driving licences and bank holograms at addresses in Westmeath and Leitrim.
Simon Gold (54) is currently serving a seven and a half year sentence having been convicted by a jury following trial in 2019 of money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments.
Today Gold pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Court via video link from prison to having under his custody or control three UK driving licences in various names knowing them to be false instruments on October 22nd, 2012 at Esker View, Ballinvalley, Delvin, Co Westmeath.
Gold, of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, also admitted having four sheets containing 360 removable hologram purporting to be AIB holograms at that address on February 20, 2014.
Release
Judge Martin Nolan had severed these charges from the original indictment for the trial in 2019, and they were due for trial next May 2022. Gold is due for release in 2024.
Judge Nolan today said he was sure these frauds were committed in connection with the charges Gold has already been found guilty of, so he felt it would be unfair to extend his stay in prison. He imposed a sentence of one year to run from today's date.
“Thank you so much judge,” responded Gold via video link, after the sentence was pronounced.
Detective Garda Ciaran Cummins today told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that the fake driving licences had been found in the front bedroom of the then home of the accused in 2012 while he was operating under another name.
Lottery
He said the holograms were found at a property where other materials were also seized by gardaí in 2014. They were sent to the company which produce holograms for AIB who concluded they were not genuine.
He said Gold had 46 previous convictions, 27 of which relate to the 2019 trial. His other convictions include larceny, forgery, money laundering, deception and promoting a lottery without a licence.
During his trial in 2019 Gold had pleaded not guilty to money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments on dates between January 1st, 2010 and October 22nd, 2012.
After over two weeks of evidence, the jury had returned a verdict of guilty on 20 counts after deliberating for over 12 hours. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on one count of deception.
