Accountant in ‘cold, cunning fraud’

An accountant who carried out what a judge said was a cold, calculated, cunning fraud using his professional skills has avoided jail.

Kieran O’Halloran, aged 44, of Keelgrove, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit court to 15 counts of theft involving sums totalling about €50,000 from two companies, Mullally Taverns and Racefield Catering, which ran Russells bar and Franz restaurant in Raheen.

O’Halloran purchased a piano for his own house using company funds.