'Sort of guilty': Woman in court over large amount of jewellery and cash found in bedroom

A woman who a judge labelled as “sort of guilty” of money-laundering and possession of a significant quantity of jewellery, is due to appear in court again in July, when it is hoped “the penny will drop”.

Antoinette Devaney, aged 52, with an address in Old Ardnacassa, Co Longford, appeared before Longford Circuit Court after gardaí uncovered cash to the value of €7,750, and jewellery to the value of more than €20,000 in her home.

The Longford Leader / Longford Live reports that she pleaded guilty to both charges, but Judge Kenneth Connolly expressed concern over what a probation report referred to as “avoidance behaviour”.

He noted Ms Devaney had initially taken a trial date but pleaded guilty before a jury was empanelled - something he said was “unusual” considering she had made admissions to gardaí.

“My reading of matters is that it seems to me she’s saying ‘I’m sort of guilty’. It’s a quantified guilt based on legal advice. She accepts legal advice but she’s not really guilty,” he said.

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Shane Geraghty BL, for the State, outlined to the court that, on February 23, 2021, Garda Brian Carroll attended Ms Devaney’s home with a search warrant and a number of other gardaí.

When Garda Carroll spoke with the accused and asked her if there was anything in her home that wasn’t supposed to be there, she brought him to her bedroom and took out a bag containing money and several pieces of jewellery.

Ms Devaney told Garda Carroll she was holding the cash and jewellery for a person she did not wish to identify “for safety reasons”.

She said the woman she was holding the cash and jewellery for was a hairdressing client who gave her two bags of cocaine in exchange for holding onto the items. She handed over a small amount of cocaine, which she had for personal use.

The items discovered included the cash sum of €7,750, an 18kt yellow gold Rolex watch valued at €10,820, a pair of diamond stud earrings worth €1,150, a pair of zirconia stud earrings worth €900, and a necklace, the value of which was not given in court. The total value of the jewellery seized was €20,370.

Ms Devaney was arrested and questioned and told gardaí she “honestly thought it wasn’t that big a deal” that she’d held the items.

“It was stupid. I was given a couple of bags of cocaine to do it. I was just naive,” she said.

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The cash had been given to Ms Devaney a few days earlier than the jewellery, but both were given to her by the same person, she said.

“I’ve done her hair a few times and got coke off her a few times. She asked if I’d mind holding a few pound for her and said that travellers were watching her. I’m sure it’s not legal. I did it because it’s handy to get the few bags of cocaine off her,” she said.

Garda Noelle Fahy, in court, said she had no reason to believe Ms Devaney wasn’t telling the truth.

Nial Flynn BL, for the defence, outlined to the court that his client was fully cooperative with gardaí, save for the identification of the woman she was holding the items for.

“There’s an element of naivety or stupidity to this case. She expressed remorse and embarrassment. She hasn’t been on the garda radar prior or since,” he said.

He pointed out that it was an “unusual situation” for a 52-year-old woman to find herself in and told the court there were no “trappings of wealth”.

She pleaded guilty to the charges and is paying the “toll” of embarrassment, anxiety and depression as a result of this case, said Mr Flynn.

Ms Devaney also furnished the court with a letter of apology where she said she has learned a “very dear lesson” and promised “I’ll never be before the court again”.

A probation report indicated Ms Devaney would comply with a community service order if necessary, despite having initially said she would not.

“She’s steadfast in her regret and personal shame,” said Mr Flynn, “she’s deeply affected with the shame and embarrassment of becoming embroiled in this type of offending and she accepts she was naive. She pleaded guilty - not at the earliest opportunity, but it was a plea.”

Judge Conolly, reading two medical reports, noted Ms Devaney “needs to be referred to a psychologist”, and that the probation report noted she had been advised to engage in counselling as interim support. However, she has not taken this advice, he noted, and expressed “avoidance behaviour”.

“I’m going to make sure that avoidance behaviour and the ‘sort of’ guilty plea are dealt with. A very brutal way of doing that is a remand in custody to the next sittings,” said Judge Connolly, noting that he won’t be sitting in Longford again until July.

“I’m sorely tempted. What stops me is she has no previous convictions and has come to no subsequent Garda attention.”

He proceeded to refer Ms Devaney back to the probation service to assess her for suitability for the Restorative Justice Programme.

“I need to be certain that the penny has dropped,” he concluded.

Ms Devaney is due to reappear on July 15