Young nurse spared prison after facilitating €37k in criminal funds in Donegal

A psychiatric nurse who allowed over €37,000 of criminal cash to pass through her accounts has avoided prison.

Opeoluwa Lawal was instead ordered to 240 hours of community service.

The 23-year-old, of The Lodge, The Paddocks, Ongar, Dublin, was before Letterkenny Circuit Court on two money laundering charges.

The charges, of being in possession of property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct, are contrary to section 7.1 (a) and (b) and 7.3 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010.

She was charged that, on dates between January 2022 and July 2023, at a place unknown in the State, she was in possession of property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct, namely €15,360, money credited to an AIB bank account in her name while knowing that or being reckless as to whether or not the said property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Lawal also faced a similar charge relating to €22,358.63, money credited to a Revolut bank account in her name and Judge John Aylmer said the case was above the threshold to leave the accused without a conviction.

Sergeant Maurice Doyle told State Barrister Ms Fiona Crawford BL that in the course of another investigation a mobile phone was seized and certain details were obtained from the device. 

Documentation was subsequently received from Revolut, which showed that €22,358.63 had passed through the account while a sum of €15,360 passed through an AIB account in Lawal’s name.

Sergeant Doyle told the court that Lawal was arrested and: “She answered some questions, but in relation to other matters she stated that she didn’t know or couldn’t remember”.

At one point in the investigation, Gardai obtained CCTV footage from Dunne’s Stores and Lawal was observed making a withdrawal. 

Sergeant Doyle said Lawal was involved with an individual who came to the attention of Gardai investigating the sale and supply of drugs in the Letterkenny area. During the course of a stop and search, a phone was seized and it contained a photo of a Revolut bank card.

In total, there were 128 transactions which were deemed to be suspicious.

Sergeant Doyle said there was no evidence to suggest that Lawal was involved in criminality but that she had “facilitated the transactions”.

Lawal was represented by Ms Dara Foynes SC, with Mr Simon Gillespie BL, instructed by solicitor Mr Frank Dorrian.

Ms Foynes said Lawal started a relationship with a male during her time in Letterkenny where she attended college. 

“This individual was up to his neck in a situation and he needed to launder money,” Ms Foynes said. “Initially, she was not aware and then became complicit.”

Ms Foynes said the male asked Lawal if he could use her bank card to send money to friends and it was only later that she became aware that he was involved in nefarious activities. 

“She only became aware of the seriousness when she realised the level of threats made to him,” Ms Foynes said. “She became very concerned about him.”

Ms Foynes said the situation has caused some health issues for Lawal while the break-up of the relationship added to her difficulties.

Ms Foynes said the incident was “certainly out of character” and said it was something that was “brought to her door rather than her actively looking for it”.

A probation report said Lawal enjoys good familial support and her family is “pro social in nature”. Ms Foynes said her client is on her way to a good, successful career.”

Lawal took to the witness box and said she graduated from ATU in 2024 and now works with a healthcare agency. She told Judge Aylmer that she works with people who have intellectual disabilities and mental health issues.  Lawal said she is in a new relationship now and her partner was present in court. 

Ms Foynes said the incident occurred when Lawal was “very young and trying to get through” and that this matter could be a very serious barrier for her career progression.

Ms Foynes asked Judge Aylmer if he could find a way to not leave a serious error of judgement keep punishing her client. 

“I am not trying to side-step this as a trivial matter,” Ms Foynes said.

Judge Aylmer said the matter was above his threshold for applying a section 100 order, which involves the imposition of a fine and the deferral of a sentence.

“I accept that she was not involved in criminality, but she facilitated him in a very serious way,” Judge Aylmer said. “I am afraid it is going to leave a stain on your record. It is too serious to deal with under the provisions of section 100.”

Judge Aylmer said the offence merited a starting point of 18 months in prison before considering mitigation.

Judge Aylmer said Lawal was a student who became romantically involved with a serious criminal and this was otherwise out of character. He said Lawal has since qualified as a psychiatric nurse and she cooperated to a significant extent if not fully. 

While deemed a low risk of reoffending, Judge Aylmer noted that Lawal is “not without criminogenic need” and said the Probation Service has deemed a 12-month bond as suitable in terms of rehabilitation.

Judge Aylmer said the case is suitable for community service. 

Lawal was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of 12 months in prison. Lawal will be placed under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months and she was given one year to complete the community service order.