ACCUSED…Brookeborough man Gerry Moane
A forensic accountants report in connection with an alleged £1.9m VAT fraud case involving well-known figure in Fermanagh GAA, Gerry Moane, could cost up to £44,000.
Dungannon Crown Court heard that the defence team for Gerry Moane, Eschnillogue, Teigeshil Road Brookeboro, were unable to get the report completed. The accused has denied involvement in an alleged £1.9 million VAT fraud.
Gerry Moane, of Eschnillogue, Teigeshill Road, Fivemiletown, was in the running to replace Peter Canavan as the Fermanagh manager.
The 46-year-old is accused of making false tax returns to obtain £1.9 million in VAT repayments.
He initially faced 26 charges but his defence lawyer made successful “No Bill” applications in respect of two of them at an earlier hearing.
Moane is pleading not guilty to the remaining 24 charges of furnishing false VAT returns between March 1, 2006, and July 2, 2012.
The individual charges refer to sums ranging from £17,875 to £465,800. In total they amount to £1,943,835.
Moane is also pleading not guilty to a charge that between February 28, 2006, and July 3, 2012, he obtained criminal property, namely VAT repayments, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
His 44-year-old wife, Dympna is accused of submitting a false VAT return claiming Moane Contracts Ltd. was eligible to receive a VAT repayment of £19,600.
The offence was allegedly committed on March 1, 2006.
She did not enter a plea in respect of the charge at a previous hearing
At a previous hearing, her defence lawyer made a successful “No Bill” application in a relation to a second charge, that between March 1, 2006, and June 30, 2012, she became involved in an arrangement to obtain criminal property, namely VAT repayments.
Defence Counsel for Gerry Moane, Jim Gallagher said his client’s VAT returns had to be paid on to others.
But there was no indication of where they went to as of the present.
Judge Gemma Loughran adjourned yesterday’s hearing to June 27 pending a meeting between prosecution and defence to identify the complex issues in the trial.
The Moanes are due to stand trial at Dungannon Crown Court on September 8.
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