Man pleads guilty to theft of debs money

An events organiser facing 77 charges arising out of the theft of more than €180,000 in cash paid by students for debs and graduation balls pleaded guilty to 37 sample counts this afternoon.

The charges relate to a Garda investigation into complaints by Leaving Certificate students at 26 schools in Cork city and county that they paid deposits and ticket money for events, which were never passed on to the venues concerned.

Pat Browne (aged 32) from Inchirahilly, Crookstown, Co Cork, appeared today on the opening day of the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he was arraigned on 37 sample counts of theft.

Pearse Sreenan, prosecution barrister, said the state acknowledged that the pleas of guilty had saved the state what would have been a lengthy trial with a large number of witnesses.

Tom Creed senior counsel for the defence said it would have been an enormous trial.

Mr Creed asked for the extension of legal aid to include the preparation of a psychiatric report on Browne.

Judge Con Murphy acceded to this application and put sentencing back until May 10.

The charges related to the theft of amounts varying from €150 to €12,000, and totalling more than €180,000 on dates between September 2006 and June 2007.

Most of the alleged victims are students who had collected money in their own schools. The largest amount alleged to have stolen from one complainant was €18,260 on eight dates between October 2006 and June 2007, in connection with money gathered by students at a secondary school in the south side of Cork city.

The full facts of the case will be outlined when the case comes up for sentencing in May.

Browne is on continuing bail until then.