This week’s appeal judgement found the judge was correct in finding against Dermot Calvert’s claim the cash came from legitimate sources.
Dermot Calvert had sought to overturn the decision on the grounds the judge had made an error by not finding that the Crime Assets Bureau had failed to prove their case.
In the judgement on the appeal by Calvert and his wife Martina Harty, published this week, it was found Judge Alex Owens did not make a mistake.
“The appellants have failed to clearly identify, still less establish, any error in the analysis, reasoning, findings or conclusions of the High Court judge. “
“It follows that the appeals must be dismissed.”
Calvert’s daughter Stacey who had been named in her original case did not appeal the ruling in which she had been allowed to stay in one of the properties for seven years.
Stacey, who has no involvement in crime, will eventually get 20 per cent of the proceeds from the sale on the house at Singland Crescent.
This week’s appeal judgement found the judge was correct in finding against Dermot Calvert’s claim the cash came from legitimate sources.
“The judge carefully examined Mr. Calvert’s assertions that the wherewithal came from insurance payouts, odd jobs, Tommo jobs, scams and from skimming the children’s allowances and – for the reasons given – rejected them.”
“The appellants’ bald assertion that “these sums came from legitimate sources” does not even put a dent in the judgment.”
Dermot Calvert
Dermot Calvert had denied CAB’s claims that €205,000 worth of refurbishments on the two-bed semi-detached house were paid for with criminal cash.
He laughed when the CAB valuation was put to him during a garda interview and told them at one point he was in receipt of €1,600 just in child benefits alone.
The case centred on the house at Singland Crescent, Garryowen, owned by Ms Calvert, and an apartment at the back of the property where her father and Ms Harty lived.
Martina Harty, who has five children, has said the house – bought for €17,000 in 2014 – was paid for with compensation cash she had received.
Also declared the proceeds of crime was a derelict shop at Cloughan Court, Garryowen, which was being converted into a home.
The ruling included €17,145 seized at Singland Crescent during searches in June 2019 and another €5,680 from in June 2021 along with a 171-reg VW Passat.
In his judgment earlier this year, Judge Owens said there was no acceptable evidence to explain the cash which had been seized.
Evidence was given during the original High Court case that Calvert is a career criminal linked to prominent gangland figures in Limerick city and has no visible income.
His 91 previous convictions include four for the sale and supply of drugs and seven “income generating” offences.
Counsel for CAB said that it was “incredible” that money could have been saved from social welfare payments and that by their own figures, Calvert and his wife had €38 a week to live on.
The case began when gardaí carried out a raid on Calvert’s home in June 2019 in response to information that drugs were being sold from there, it was heard in court.