Money-lending couple and their son plead guilty to assault charges

A married Limerick couple who previously were ordered to pay almost €1m to the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) over an illegal money lending business, were back in court yesterday arising out of a serious assault on a man last March.

Brendan Wallace, aged 55, and Patricia Wallace, aged 44, of Fernleigh, Westbury, Corbally, Limerick, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to 10 charges arising from the incident.

Brendan Wallace pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and having a curtain pole.

Patricia Wallace pleaded guilty to affray and producing a crutch which was capable of inflicting serious harm.

Their son Brandon, aged 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and with producing a golf club capable of causing harm. The incident occurred on March 17.

Judge Tom O’Donnell ordered the name of the victim not be published and remanded all three on bail to next Thursday’s sitting of the same court.

In 2009, the CAB took a successful action to seize €920,697 — €681,320 from Mr Wallace and €239,377 from his wife.

The couple were convicted in January 2007 of giving illegal loans, where they were charging interest rates as high as 30% in some cases. Both were given 10-month jail sentences, but in the case of Ms Wallace, it was suspended on appeal.

They were arrested following a surveillance operation outside Mary Street post office in Limerick on August 1, 2006, when they were observed handing over child benefit books to their owners.

The owners would later return to their parked car and hand back the books and a sum of money to the couple.

Gardaí later recovered nine child benefit books, a ledger containing 43 names and details of 150 transactions, an extendible baton, mace spray, a sock containing two snooker balls, and a quantity of cash.