Former solicitor denies forgery on deed transfer

Former solicitor Thomas Byrne has denied forging the signature of a client's daughter on a deed transferring their family home in Walkinstown over to him.

The 47-year-old with an address at Mountjoy Square, Dublin is being cross examined at his €52m theft and fraud trial.

He claims he made an unusual arrangement with Aideen Costigan whereby she signed the deed and handed over the keys in June 2007 for payment that November.

He said he accepts she may not have been aware that he was the buyer.

Earlier the trial heard evidence of Ms Costigan's horror at finding out the home of her late mother had been transferred into Mr Byrne's name.