Former solicitor pleads guilty to theft of €2.8m
A former solicitor will be sentenced in July on mulitple charges of theft of more than €2.8m from client accounts.
Ruairi O’Ceallaigh (aged 42) of Collegeland, Summerhill, Co Meath was sent forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on early pleas of guilty from the District Court.
Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, told Judge Mary Ellen Ring today that his client wished to affirm those seven pleas.
The seven charges relate to dishonestly appropriating a total of €2,816,566 being the property of Sean O’Ceallaigh and Company and having designated as credited to seven named clients’ accounts, with the intention of depriving the owner thereof, on dates between July 2006 and May 2010.
The charges relate to offences contrary to Section 4 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act and the individual sums of cash range from €75,000 to €1.55m.
Remy Farrell SC, prosecuting, requested a sentence date and indicated that the evidence would take approximately 90 minutes.
Judge Ring remanded O’Ceallaigh on continuing bail and adjourned the case for sentence until July 2, next.
