A former Fine Gael councillor charged with money laundering over €2.6m through a number of companies linked to Cyril 'Dublin Jimmy' McGuinness, has been jailed for three years and three months following a lengthy sentence hearing at Longford Circuit Court.
Frank Kilbride, 70, of Aughakilmore, Ballinalee, Co Longford, appeared before Longford Circuit Court, having previously pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering sums totalling €2,604,564.05 through three bank accounts on dates between October 2017 and March 2018.
Kilbride, taking to the stand after his legal team applied to come off record, pleaded with the judge for leniency.
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"I don't want to die in prison," he said, "I want to be at home with my wife and my four collie dogs."
Judge Kenneth Connolly, passing judgment, noted that there was a "spectre" of duress in the case, but said that money laundering "facilitates the financing of criminality".
He proceeded to sentence Kilbride to four years and six months in prison, suspending the final 15 months for a period of three years subject to a number of conditions, including that he does not register any company or business for three years post-release.
He concluded by backdating the sentence to last Friday 26 July.
