Retired senator charged with demanding €100,000

A retired Fianna Fáil senator yesterday appeared, along with two others, at a sitting of a District Court on a charge of demanding money by menaces.

Francis O’Brien, aged 70 and a father-of-four from Corwillan, Latton, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was charged with making an unwarranted demand for €100,000 from Michael Heelan, with menaces.

He was remanded on bail to May 22 for likely service of a book of evidence.