Councillor fined for false conference expenses

A town councillor has been fined €500 after being convicted of falsely claiming expenses for a conference he did not attend.

Pat Melia, aged 51, of 19 Ard na Greine, Macroom, Co Cork, a member of Macroom Town Council, pleaded guilty at Macroom District Court yesterday to a single charge of making a gain by deception under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act on dates between Apr 13 and Apr 27.

In imposing sentence, Judge James McNulty said: “He lowered himself in the esteem of his fellow citizens both in Macroom and further afield.”