Son of Clare hurling legend Davy Fitzgerald to be sentenced for bank thefts totalling €35,000

Colm Fitzgerald, aged 27, had pleaded guilty to seven separate counts of theft of €5,000 from Bank of Ireland, Shannon Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co Clare

Colm Fitzgerald at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

A son of GAA hurling legend Davy Fitzgerald appeared in court on Tuesday to affirm guilty pleas to stealing €35,000 from a bank in his native Co Clare.

Colm Fitzgerald, aged 27, of Castlequinn, Sixmilebridge, had pleaded guilty before Ennis District Court last Wednesday to seven separate counts of theft of €5,000 from Bank of Ireland, Shannon Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co Clare.

The matter was returned to Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday, where Mr Fitzgerald appeared before Judge Francis Comerford and affirmed his guilty pleas to all seven theft offences.

The thefts occurred on unknown dates between May 26, 202 and July 13, 2023, the court heard.

The court registrar read each of the seven charges and asked Mr Fitzgerald if he was changing his guilty plea, to which he replied each time: “No.”

Judge Comerford granted an application by Mr Fitzgerald’s barrister, Kenneth Keirns BL, for legal aid, after the defence barrister handed the judge a copy of “a statement of means” in respect of Mr Fitzgerald.

“It becomes a matter of sentence now, which should not take any longer than 30-40 minutes,” Mr Keirns informed the court.

“He [Mr Fitzgerald] comes before the court with no previous convictions, and he has an underlying issue that he is dealing with,” Mr Keirns said.

The barrister applied for a probation report, which Judge Comerford granted, and directed be produced at Mr Fitzgerald’s sentencing hearing.

The judge adjourned the proceedings to the March, and directed Mr Fitzgerald be excused from attending the court on that date.

Mr Fitzgerald was remanded on continuing bail for a date for sentence, which will be fixed next month.