Seven charged over €1m BoI mortgages fraud
The investigation by the Garda fraud squad at Anglesea Street in Cork relates to six properties in various parts of counties Cork, Tipperary and Kerry between 2009 and 2011.
One man faces charges in respect of all six properties, where the total amounts to €970,000, a second accused faces charges related to two of those houses and each of the five other defendants faces charges in respect of one of the properties.
Sergeant Mary Skehan and Detective Garda Michael Horgan gave evidence at Cork District Court yesterday of arresting the defendants and charging them.
Patrick Walsh, 66, of Tinahealy, Co Wicklow, faces 18 charges in respect of six different properties. The charges are set out in groups of three distinct kinds of alleged offences.
For instance, Walsh is charged with using false driving licence and P60s to obtain services by deception, forgery in the making of a false mortgage application in respect of a property at Gortroe, Lombardstown, Co Cork, and making a gain by false means of €207,000 from Bank of Ireland.
The rest of Walsh’s 15 charges are similarly set out in respect of properties and amounts in the following terms: Saddler’s Lane, Buttevant, Co Cork, €157,500; Lacey Avenue, Templemore, Co Tipperary, €126,000; Parkview Close, Buttevant, €157,500; another house at Parkview Close, €161,460; and Powerline, Listowel, Co Kerry, €160,650.
Patrick O’Connor, 43, of 47 Annabella Park, Mallow, faces six charges — two for obtaining services by deception, two for forgery and two for using false documents to make a gain — in respect of a house at Parkview and another at Saddler’s Lane in Buttevant.
All five other defendants face three charges each, again for obtaining by deception, forgery and using false documents.
Michael Jewitt, 34, of 14 Oliver Plunkett Street, Doneraile, Co Cork, is charged in relation to a €160,650 mortgage on a house at Powerline, Listowel.
Kay Russell, 67, of 22 Inniscarra Road, Cork, is charged in relation to a €161,460 mortgage on a house at Parkview Close.
Patrick Crowley, 29, of 3 Churchview, Churchtown, Mallow, is charged in relation to a €126,000 mortgage at Lacey Avenue, Templemore.
Shane Slattery, 37, of 60A Great William O’Brien Street is charged in relation to a €207,000 mortgage on a house at Lombardstown.
Wendy Briant, 54, of 1 Greenane, Kanturk, is charged in relation to a €157,000 mortgage at Saddler’s Lane.
On the application of Inspector Eileen Foster, Judge Leo Malone remanded all seven defendants on bail to appear in court again on October 15.
Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions are awaited in Kay Russell’s case but the DPP has already decided on trial by judge and jury for the other six and books of evidence are to be prepared.
Free legal aid was assigned for solicitors to represent the accused, but the judge asked for a written statement of means to be furnished on the next occasion in respect of Kay Russell.
