A pensioner changed his plea to guilty to the fraudulent evasion of nearly £1million in excise duty on cigarettes brought from Ireland.
Trucker James Francis O’Reilly, aged 67, of Highbury, London, who has also lived at Cavan in the Irish Republic, was arrested in Anglesey last October after arriving at Holyhead with a cargo of more than three million cigarettes.
Barrister Sion ap Mihangel told Caernarfon crown court that the evasion of tax amounted to £953,000. O’Reilly claimed he had played a lesser role and was paid £500 for what he did.
He had also pleaded guilty to possession of a lock knife and a CS gas canister.
Owen Edwards, defending, said a probation report would be helpful and sentence was adjourned until March 26.
O’Reilly was remanded in custody by Judge Huw Rees.
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