Cat charity co-founder to repay Cork animal charities €27k he gambled away

Owen Collins, 32, of Mountain Barracks, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, was convicted earlier this month for stealing €27,500 from Cat Haven, which has now been removed from the register of charities

Owen Collins pleaded guilty earlier this month to sample charges related to stealing €27,500 from the Cork-based animal welfare charity Cat Haven. File picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Cork Courts Limited

Ten animal welfare charities operating at various locations in Cork City and county got a welcome windfall in the form of a €2,750 payment to each of them.

The matter arose out of the conviction of a man running a now defunct cat welfare charity for stealing money from the organisation. When sentencing in his case took place earlier this month, the accused man brought the full amount of the money he stole from Cat Haven to court.