A FORMER EVENTS officer with Cycling Ireland who produced fake quotations that were later submitted in an attempt to secure a sports grant has been given an 18-month suspended sentence.

Garry Nugent (51) of Drumrrer Lane, Coaslisland, Tyrone pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of attempting to deceive the Department of Transport on dates between March 2020 and June 2020. He has no previous convictions.

Detective Garda Nevan Hartley told Simon Donagh BL, prosecuting, that Cycling Ireland were advised that there were grants available to them and if they were not claimed they would be lost.

The grants were for €100,000 and €75,000 and Cycling Ireland intended to combine both grants to apply for tandem bicycles which would be used in the upcoming Paralympic Games. They had been given permission to combine the two grants and were required to provide three quotations to support their application.

Det Gda Hartley said Nugent was responsible for providing two false quotations in relation to this grant and a further false quotation in relation to another grant for €52,100. This grant was intended to be used for timing equipment.

The false quotations were uploaded by another person, along with a genuine quotation, to support the grants. The court heard that Cycling Ireland ultimately did not receive the grants.

Det Gda Hartley said Cycling Ireland were under time pressure to submit the grants and also there was a “narrow window” during which the bicycles could be manufactured.

He said that due to the tight timeline and the fact “all of this was happening” through the pandemic, “the wrong decision was made to submit each fake quotation”.

The detective said although there was no loss to the State, Cycling Ireland suffered reputational damage and lost a sponsor.

Det Gda Hartley agreed with Cathal McGreal BL, defending, that his client was “an ordinary decent man who was put under specific pressure” and he provided the false quotations “to satisfy a tender requirement”.

It was accepted that Nugent did not gain personally or financially for his role.

He agreed with a submission from Mr McGreal that he had no concerns that Nugent would ever come back before the courts – “I would be shocked if he did,” Det Gda Hartley said.

Mr McGreal said his client was a married man with two teenage children.

He lost his job with Cycling Ireland but is working again.

Judge Orla Crowe accepted the evidence that the grants “were going to disappear if they were not applied for”.

She said the offence occurred in “exceptional circumstances” during the first lockdown and there was “a certain urgency perceived”.

Judge Crowe accepted that Nugent admitted his involvement from the outset and apologised and that he had not benefitted financially.

She noted that he “played an active role”. “He was not entitled to try and deceive the Department as he did,” Judge Crowe said before she set a headline sentence of three years.

She imposed a sentence of 18 months which she suspended in full on strict conditions including that Nugent keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years.