Former FG councillor appealing against corruption conviction

A former Fine Gael Councillor will have his appeal against his conviction for receiving corrupt payments heard today.

Fred Forsey Jnr was found guilty at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court two years ago of taking a total of €80,000.

Former Fine Gael Councillor Fred Forsey was jailed for four years for taking bribes from a property developer in 2006.

The former deputy mayor of Dungarvan was convicted by a jury of receiving €80,000 in corrupt payments in exchange for lobbying his colleagues to rezone agricultural land for residential and industrial use.

He was caught when his estranged wife went to gardaí and told them about suspicious payments her husband had received.

The former politician is now trying to have his conviction overturned.

The case is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal today.