Court finds woman guilty of organising prostitution in Cork

The woman accused of organising prostitution and keeping brothels was found guilty on seven charges of managing brothels at 5.30pm this evening.

Caroline O’Leary, aged 39, of Scartbarry, Watergrasshill, County Cork, was remanded in custody to May 12 for sentencing.

The jury found her not guilty on 43 counts related to the alleged organisation of prostitution and the keeping of brothels at 26, John Street and 18, Grafton Street, Cork, on dates between January 2006 and May 2007 and there was failure to reach any verdict on 19 counts.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin refused to remand the accused on bail for sentencing and said he was differentiating between herself and her husband by remanding him on bail as he had pleaded guilty.

O’Leary showed no visible reaction to her conviction for keeping brothels.

Defence senior counsel, Tom Creed, said yesterday, “This is one of the thinnest case I have ever seen put forward by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“This is ultimately about money and they have followed the money trail and they have got their scalps. In terms of the prostitutes, no doubt those ladies will go somewhere else.

“This is a very successful operation by the gardaí and they are to be commended for their work.”

He reminded the jury that Linnane, aged 53, who still faces sentence for his crimes, has pleaded guilty to organising prostitution and keeping the two brothels, and that the Criminal Assets Bureau had obtained a "significant" sum of money from him.

Julieanne Gibson, aged 41, of 4 Springvale, Old Youghal Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to five counts of keeping brothels at 18, Grafton Street and 26, John Street on various dates in 2006 and 2007 and she will be sentenced on May 12, as will Linnane.

The prosecution dropped its prosecution of Bobby Healy, aged 48, of 63 Mervue Lawn, Ballyvolane, Cork, on Monday.