Businessman Paul Begley who was jailed for a €1.6 million tax scam on garlic imports has had his sentence reduced to 2 years by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Mr. Begley from Rathcoole in Dublin admitted last year to smuggling more than 1,000 tonnes of garlic from China labelled as apples.
He had originally been sentenced to 6 years for the crime.
The Court of Criminal Appeal last month ruled his original the original jail term was excessive.
Paying off Revenue settlement
The disqualified businessman of Begley Brothers Ltd., Blanchardstown in Dublin was sent to prison last March by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
He had pleaded guilty to 4 sample counts of evading customs duty between September 2003 and October 2007.
While the maximum sentence for the offence is 5 years in prison or a fine of 3-times the value of the goods, Judge Martin Nolan imposed the maximum term on 1 count and a consecutive 1-year sentence on another count.
This was found to be disproportionate on appeal as it did not fully account for his remorse and co-operation with customs.
The 47-year-old is currently paying off a €1.6 million settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.
