Man handed over €5k cash for cigarettes in Cork but was left with bags containing cardboard

Accused ran away through alley and money was not recovered, court heard

The evidence was that accused met the injured party in Mayfield and was handed the €5,000 in a Ford Focus and that he ran away and got into a BMW.  File picture: iStock

A Dubliner travelled to Cork to buy 100 cartons of cigarettes for €5,000 but when he handed over the cash the other man ran away through an alley and left him sitting with two holdall bags containing nothing but cardboard.

This was the alleged scam described on Friday at Cork District Court in the case against 32-year-old Viorel Macu from Romania, who gave an address at Bridge Street, Enniskeane, Co Cork.

Through a Romanian interpreter, he said he had nothing to do with the offence and wanted to stay in Ireland to contest the case.

There was a Garda objection to bail and fears were expressed he would leave the jurisdiction.

Judge Olann Kelleher refused bail and remanded the accused in custody for one week on the €5,000 theft by deception charge. 

The judge remarked: “He has changed his story a few times in the witness box.” 

Garda evidence

The evidence was that he met the injured party in Mayfield and was handed the €5,000 in a Ford Focus and that he ran away and got into a BMW. He said through an interpreter that a man gave him the BMW.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis asked Viorel Macu who gave him the car. He replied he was given it by a man he met on the ferry to Ireland. 

He said this man, named Nelu, gave him the BMW on the ferry and that he had never met him before. Later he said that he had met him before.

Garda Tom O’Connell said: “The nature of the evidence is strong. It is alleged that the theft of €5,000 was reported to gardaí that at 8pm on June 1 at Silverheights Avenue, Cork, where the injured party agreed to purchase 100 cartons of cigarettes. 

He met person he did not know who made contact over the phone and arranged to meet at the address at Silverheights Avenue.

“He got a text message with this address on it. The injured party travelled from Dublin and went to the address to meet this man. He agreed to purchase the cigarettes.

“It is alleged he got into the suspect’s red Ford Focus and the money was paid.

“When the suspect got the money he left the vehicle and ran through an alley on to Boherboy Close.

The injured party was left in the vehicle with two holdall bags of cardboard. The red Ford Focus was seized for technical examination.

“At 11pm on Silversprings Road, the accused was stopped driving a Romanian-registered BMW. In the car his mobile phone was open on the Silverheights Avenue address and another at Boherboy Close. He has no association with these addresses and they were not advertised for rent.

“Also in the vehicle was a holdall bag, the same as the two in the Ford Focus which was left at the scene.

“Also found on the suspect was the key to the Ford Focus. The €5,000 that was stolen from the injured party is still outstanding and has not been recovered.

Gardaí fear that should the accused be granted bail this money would never be recovered.” 

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said the accused gave gardaí very specific information about employment he hoped to pick up in Enniskeane.

The accused said through an interpreter he would not leave the country if he was granted bail, adding: “I won’t leave because I know I am not guilty and I want this trial to finish properly.”