BY BERNIE NÍ FHLATHARTA

A Galway plumber whose income increased from €62,000 per annum to almost €1 million in one year at the height of the building boom has pleaded guilty to revenue fraud.

Galway Circuit Court heard that the plumber had taken part in a scam that involved allowing his special tax cert to be used by other contractors.

However, the case against Justin Sheehan of Cave, Clarenbridge before Wednesday’s Galway Circuit Court was adjourned until July 30 to allow a psychological report to be carried out on the defendant.

Francis Comerford, SC for Sheehan, said there were concerns about his client being depressed and he was of the view that a psychological report would be helpful.

The criminal matter was brought against Sheehan following an investigation carried out by the Revenue Commissioners.

He had pleaded guilty to making an incorrect VAT return, producing an incorrect invoice knowingly or wilfully and for failing to make income and VAT returns to the Collector General.

Patrick Faughnan, Principal with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners who investigated, said that Sheehan’s income had jumped from €62,441 in 2004 to €955,628 in a six month period the following year.

In interviews, Sheehan admitted that he had fabricated invoices and had allowed two other men who had approached him to use his C2 cert. They had paid him a commission of €70,000 to collect payments for supplies using that cert.

A C2 certificate is a personalised card issued by the Tax Office which allows principal contractors to be paid in gross and they pay their taxes through a self-assessment tax return at the end of the tax year.

The case resumes in the Galway Circuit Court on Monday, July 30.
 

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.