Ireland Ennis, March 13: A 75-year-old man from County Clare has been accused of assisting the illegal entry of a 22-year-old woman into Ireland by allegedly providing a fraudulent French ID card, a case that has now been transferred to the circuit court due to its seriousness.
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Roger Bishop, a resident of Crown, Lissycasey, Co Clare, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday, facing two charges under immigration and smuggling laws. The charges relate to his alleged role in facilitating the woman’s entry into the State in March 2024, while she was living in Turkey.
While Bishop indicated his intention to plead guilty, Judge Grainne Malone ruled that the case was too serious for district court jurisdiction. She emphasized the significant age gap between the accused and the woman, as well as the act of preparing a fraudulent identity document. Consequently, the case will now proceed to the circuit court, where more severe penalties apply.
Allegations and Court Proceedings
According to Detective Garda Karen Barker from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), the accused allegedly traveled to Turkey on March 1, 2024, where he met the woman. He is accused of purchasing airline tickets and a false French ID card before accompanying her to Dublin Airport. At immigration control, Bishop allegedly used his own passport alongside the fraudulent ID in her name to facilitate her entry into Ireland.
Authorities later discovered that the French ID card was fake. The nationality of the woman was not disclosed in court.
When questioned about how Bishop met the woman—who is 53 years his junior—Detective Garda Barker revealed that they had been in an online relationship.
The woman later claimed asylum in Ireland but attempted to leave the jurisdiction in May-June 2024. She was subsequently returned to Dublin Airport by Luxembourg authorities, using the same fraudulent ID card she had entered with.
No Financial Gain Involved, Court Hears
Judge Malone inquired whether Bishop had financially benefited from the alleged smuggling. Detective Garda Barker responded, “No, Judge—she was culpable. She wanted to come to Ireland, and she got into a relationship. He believed he was in a relationship with her, but when she arrived, things did not go as planned.”
While Detective Garda Barker acknowledged that this was not one of the most severe cases the immigration bureau had handled, she confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had initially directed the case be heard in the district court. However, Judge Malone overruled this, stating the circumstances warranted a higher court trial.
Legal Charges and Next Steps
Mr. Bishop, who turns 76 in May, faces two charges:
- Possession of a fraudulent French ID card at Dublin Airport on March 1, 2024, with the intention of assisting another person’s illegal entry, under Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2004, contrary to Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021.
- Intentionally assisting another person’s illegal entry into Ireland, in violation of Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2004, under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021.
A Book of Evidence will now be prepared, and the case will be transferred to the circuit court. Bishop has been remanded on continuing bail and is set to appear before Ennis District Court on April 23.
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