American man admits applying for passports in Cork in names of deceased babies

The 72-year-old American, previously known as Philip Morris and later identified through enquiries with the FBI as Randolph Kirk Parker, indicated that he would sign pleas of guilty to all charges

The case against Randolph Kirk Parker centres on allegations that he had passports in the names of two babies who died within three months of birth in 1952 and 1953. File picture: Larry Cummins

The 72-year-old American in Cork who was identified through FBI enquiries signed a plea of guilty to charges related to using false information to obtain passports on Thursday.

The case centres on allegations that he had passports in the names of two babies who died within three months of birth in 1952 and 1953.

The 72-year-old American, previously known as Philip Morris and later identified through enquiries with the FBI as Randolph Kirk Parker, indicated through his solicitor Frank Buttimer on Thursday that he would sign pleas of guilty to all charges.

On that being done Judge Mary Dorgan sent the case forward to Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The case will be for sentencing at that court eventually and will be listed first for mention on Wednesday, February 14.

The accused has been in custody since his arrest in September 2023 and he was sent forward to the circuit court in continuing custody.

Detective Garda Padraic Hanley of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation was in court for the case again on Thursday.

Randolph Kirk Parker signed pleas of guilty to four counts of using false information to obtain passports and one count of possessing a false document.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said that a summary charge of giving a false name to gardaí when he was at the Bridewell garda station at the time of his arrest last September will be withdrawn by the prosecution.

The charges which were admitted on Thursday all related to the passport office on South Mall, Cork. The charges of using false information to obtain passports relate to the following dates: September 12 to 24, 2012; August 7, 2013; June 7, 2022, and September 11, 2023.

The charge of possessing a false document — namely a driving licence in someone else’s name — related to September 14, 2023.