Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21831Money laundering · Co. Kilkenny · 31 Dec 2018

Timmy O'Reilly jailed by Court of Appeal for money laundering over €120,000 while on social welfare

Timmy O'Reilly, 48, of Kilkenny, was jailed for 18 months (with the final six months suspended) by the Court of Appeal on 21 March 2023 after his fully-suspended sentence for laundering over €120,000 while in receipt of social welfare was quashed as unduly lenient. He had pleaded guilty to eight counts under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 relating to monies totalling around €125,000 held in an Irish Life account and two credit union accounts between 2011 and 2018.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced21 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
34 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatO'Reilly laundered over €120K while in receipt of social welfare payments over eight years. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatHe had never filed a return to Revenue. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly claimed he was involved in buying and selling horses and collecting scrap on a small scale. (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly said he was an early school leaver with difficulties with literacy and numeracy. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly said it was common within the Travelling community to lend money to family members who would repay in lump sums or instalments. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatThe amount laundered fell into the medium range for such offences and combined with the length of time made it a serious matter. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatThe criminality did not consist of merely failing to make tax returns and was not drugs or firearms at a national level. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • what€114K was identified in the Irish Life account and the two credit union accounts held a total of around €10.5K. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly laundered over €120,000 while in receipt of social welfare payments over eight years. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly had never filed a return to Revenue. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe monies were found in one Irish Life account and two credit union accounts. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly is a member of the Travelling community. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly had 15 previous convictions, most at District Court level. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • what€114,000 was identified in the Irish Life account held by O'Reilly. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe two credit union accounts held a total of around €10,500. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly's two sons also pleaded guilty to the offence and received suspended sentences. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatO'Reilly had a suspended sentence imposed on him in 2015 for assault causing harm. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenAll charges related to the period between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2018. (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationGardaí and the Criminal Assets Bureau carried out investigations in the matter. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to eight counts of offences contrary to Section 7(a) and Section 7(b) of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • chargeHe had been charged with 32 money laundering offences in relation to monies totalling around €125K found in one Irish Life account and two Credit Union accounts. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • chargeO'Reilly pleaded guilty to eight counts of offences contrary to Section 7(a) and Section 7(b) of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeO'Reilly had been charged with 32 money laundering offences in relation to monies totalling around €125,000. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtHe was given an 18-month fully-suspended sentence for money-laundering by Judge Cormac Quinn at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2022. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtThe State appealed the suspended sentence on grounds that it was unduly lenient. (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe court stated the case was sui generis and unlikely to be of assistance in determining sentences in future money laundering cases. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtO'Reilly was given an 18-month fully-suspended sentence by Judge Cormac Quinn at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2022. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal heard the case on Tuesday, 21 March 2023. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceMs Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh quashed the 18-month fully-suspended sentence and re-sentenced O'Reilly to 18 months with the final six months suspended. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherA reimbursement agreement between the Department of Social Welfare and O'Reilly was struck regarding an overpayment of €433,665. (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherO'Reilly had a criminal record involving 15 offences, most at District Court level. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherA suspended sentence was imposed on O'Reilly in 2015 for assault causing harm. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherO'Reilly's role in laundering the money was above that of his two sons, who also pleaded guilty and received suspended sentences. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherThe monies were forfeited to Revenue. (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Mar2023
    Sentencedleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    "Family man" who laundered over €120K while on social welfare jailed by Court of Appeal

    Court of Appeal quashed the 18-month fully-suspended sentence imposed by Judge Cormac Quinn at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2022 and re-sentenced O'Reilly to 18 months with the final six months suspended. The appeal was brought by the State on grounds of unduly lenient sentencing.

    convicted, Timmy O'Reilly, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Timmy O'Reillyconvicted, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, male, irish (judged from name)
  2. 21 Mar2023
    Sentencedkilkennypeople.ie, follow-up
    Breaking: Kilkenny 'family man' jailed by Court of Appeal for laundering over €120K while on social welfare

    Court of Appeal (Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, three-judge court) quashed the 18-month fully-suspended sentence imposed by Judge Cormac Quinn at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2022 and re-sentenced O'Reilly to 18 months with the final 6 months suspended, finding the original sentence unduly lenient.

    convicted, Timmy O'Reilly, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Timmy O'Reillyconvicted, maleconvicted, male