TWO men from Co. Galway have been jailed over their role in a counterfeit cash scam carried out across England.
Patrick Ward, 22, of Coole Park, Galway, and Jason Ward, 19, of Radharc Na Freine, Galway, have been jailed for 30 months and 28 months rerspectively.
The latter will serve his sentence in a young offender institution.
Meanwhile, a warrant has been issued for a third man from Galway who failed to appear in court.
"The defendants came to the UK from Ireland with a view to using fake cash to fund their lifestyles, and it is right that they have been successfully prosecuted for their offending," said Detective Sergeant Craig Twycross from West Yorkshire Police.
The two men were arrested on January 21, 2025 after officers stopped a car in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Inside the vehicle, officers found items that had been bought from various stores in Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield and Chesterfield using counterfeit Scottish bank notes.
As part of a scam, items bought with the fake money were then returned to other store branches and refunded with genuine cash.
Warrant
Further offences linked to the group were identified in the Thames Valley, West Midlands, West Mercia, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire police force areas.
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to have custody or control of a thing knowing it was a counterfeit currency note, passing counterfeit currency and converting criminal property.
They were sentenced on Friday, May 23 at Leeds Crown Court.
A third man, 19-year-old William Browne of St Finbars Terrace, Galway, was also charged but failed to appear at court and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
"This was a complex investigation which has prevented fake notes circulating around the country and leaving businesses with worthless cash," said DS Twycross.
He added: "I want to urge retailers to be vigilant and take the time to check notes thoroughly.
"Anyone who notices incidents involving these fake Scottish notes should report them to your local police force."
See More: Galway, Wakefield, Yorkshire
