Man accused of having passport in name of baby who died in 1952

The Passport Office sign on South Mall, Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

Officers from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested a 70-year-old man claiming that they simply did not know who he was and alleged that he had used the name of a baby who died 11 days after his birth in 1952 to apply for a passport in Cork.

Detective Garda Padraic Hanley of GNBCI objected to bail being granted to the accused man who was prosecuted in the name of Philip Morris of no fixed address, with a December 1952 date of birth.

Concluding his evidence in objection to bail at Cork District Court, Det Garda Hanley said: “In short, we don’t know who this gentleman is.”

There are two similar charges. One refers to an unknown date between September 12 and 25, 2012, at the Passport Office on South Mall, Cork, and the application for the issue of a passport. The particulars of the charge state that he provided information for the issue of a passport which were false or misleading in a material respect and which he knew or believed were false or misleading or were reckless as to whether they were false or misleading.

The second charge is similar but refers to a different date, June 7, 2022.

Det Garda Hanley said the defendant was arrested at the passport office on the South Mall in Cork on September 14.

The detective said that when questioned he said he was living in Ireland and needed the passport to leave the country but refused to assist the officers in any way.

Det Garda Hanley said of the accused: “He held an Irish passport for 30 years but only recently obtained a PPS number.

“In relation to the two charges, a passport issued in the name of a child born in 1952 who died 11 days later. I do have the birth cert and death cert in relation to that child.”

 Once the evidence in objection to bail was given, defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said: “My instructions are that he wishes to reserve his bail application. In the event that there is a bail application, I will put the State on notice. My client accepts there must be a remand in custody.” 

Judge Olann Kelleher remanded the man named as Philip Morris, aged 70, in custody until September 19 at Cork District Court.