€53,500 fine largest ever at Tuam Court

THE largest recorded fine ever handed down at Tuam Court was imposed this week when Judge Geoffrey Browne fined a man €53,500 after convicting him on 39 charges of failing to file tax returns. The Judge said the defendant had shown complete contempt for the Court by not even bothering to turn up so he had little sympathy for him. [private] Charged with failing to make tax returns between 2002-9, Owen Thomas McStay Jnr of Clooncath, Kilkerrin, could have faced even higher fines. The fine for failing to make a return is set at €3,000 and can be mitigated by the Judge in special circumstance. Had Judge Brown not shown some leniency a fine totalling €107,000 could have been imposed. Judge Browne said McStay had not filed returns for seven years and had failed to engage with the Revenue. He hadn't even bothered to turn up to explain himself at Tuam Courthouse on Tuesday and neither had he sent a solicitor to represent him. Generally, where some effort is made to engage, the Court convicts on a single sample charge and reduces the fine. [/private]