Man who conned Corkman out of €7k for fake Rolex watch sent to jail

Kerry man's co-accused, his father, given fully suspended sentence due to factors including poor health

The swindle saw the father and son conning a middle-aged man living in a remote rural area to part with €7,250 and a real watch in exchange for a fake. File picture

A two-year jail term was imposed on a 37-year-old Killarney man for a confidence trick carried out on a man who was duped into buying a fake Rolex.

Judge Colin Daly described the confidence trick as “a long con” carried out by the accused and his father.

John O’Regan, 37, of Willows Grove, Ballydribbeen, Killarney, was jailed for two years for his part in the deception.

A fully suspended 16-month sentence was imposed on the defendant’s father, 58-year-old Michael O’Regan, of Monks Walk, Dennehy’s Boreen, Killarney, Co Kerry.

The judge considered factors including poor health as he gave the older man the suspended sentence.

The swindle saw the father and son conning a middle-aged man living in a remote rural area to part with €7,250 and a real watch in exchange for a fake. When the victim found it did not work he was told to shake it and wait for a few days.

When the victim became suspicious, he travelled to a legitimate jewellers in Cork to have his purchase examined and it was confirmed he had bought a fake.

He reported the matter to gardaí and the deception was traced to the two accused. Both men pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to inducing the victim to buy a fake Rolex in December 2020 when they called to his home in Donoughmore, Co Cork.

Both defendants had a previous conviction for a deception carried out on a woman in her 70s where she was conned into paying them for work that was not done. They got four-year suspended jail terms on that occasion back in 2019.

Garda Deirdre O’Mahony said the victim in the present case bought a legitimate Rolex watch from them for €5,200 but later they went back to him with what was described as a superior Rolex and showed him certificates to verify that it was genuine, which it was not.

The victim gave them the first watch together with €7,250 for the second watch — the fake. When it did not work he was told over the phone to shake it and that it would be fine in a few days. 

After that, they did not answer his calls — or they were briefly answered and then cut off.

The injured party reported the scam to gardaí. Following an investigation that led gardaí to the father and son, they made admissions, repaid the money and gave him back the first watch.