Solicitor: I never‘handled the numbers’

Solicitor and financial adviser Gary O’Flynn, who is on trial on deception charges, said through his barrister yesterday that he only handled the legal side of operations, while the accountant "handled the numbers".

Gary O’Flynn, aged 38, with an address at Hayfield Drive, Castle Court, Whitechurch, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty to 21 sample charges against a background where one man was at a loss of €6,375 and a woman was at a loss of €2,002, it was alleged by the prosecution.

Mr O’Flynn and accountant Pat Sweeney were both involved for a time with a company called Debt Assist. Mr Sweeney was called as a prosecution witness yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Defence barrister Tom Power said during cross-examination of Mr Sweeney yesterday: “Mr O’Flynn will say you were the accountant handling the numbers side of the business, you were handling the fees and he was only handling the legal side of the business, as he was the solicitor.”

Mr Sweeney replied: “That is not correct.”

Mr Power BL said Mr Sweeney operated a particular computer system called Lex which related to the company’s relationship with banks. Again he replied: “That is incorrect.”

“You had access to that system at all times,” Mr Power suggested. Mr Sweeney replied: “I understand it was password-protected. I did not know how to use that system.”

Mr Sweeney was the last prosecution witness. Jane Hyland barrister closed the prosecution’s case yesterday.

The trial continues.