Businessman appeals severity of sentence for garlic import scam

The Court of Criminal Appeal has been urged to give a priority hearing to the appeal by businessman Paul Begley against the severity of his six-year jail sentence over a €1.6m garlic import scam.

Last March Mr Begley, (aged 46), of Woodlock, Redgap, Rathcoole, and the head of Ireland's largest fruit and vegetable producers Begley Brothers Ltd, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin was jailed after he admitted avoiding paying higher custom duty/tax on over 1,000 tonnes of garlic imported from China by having it labelled as apples, which have a cheaper rate.