Deception case against Cork woman deferred as she is in hospital

Catherine O’Brien. File picture: Dan Linehan

The arraignment of a Cork woman charged in connection with deception involving €100,000 has been deferred after the court heard she is in hospital.

Buttevant native Catherine O’Brien of An Grianan, Ballinroad, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, was due to appear before Judge Keenan Johnson at Portlaoise Circuit Court on Tuesday morning via video link.

She was due to be arraigned on three charges of deception contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act 2001 in Portlaoise, Co Laois, between September 21, 2018, and October 26, 2018.

Two of the charges relate to sums of €10,000, while the third charge relates to a sum of €80,000. They relate to the transfer of €80,000 at the Bank of Ireland, Portlaoise, on September 2, 2018; €10,000 from the same bank on October 25, 2018, and €10,000 on October 26, 2018.

When the case was called on Tuesday morning, Judge Johnson was told that Ms O’Brien was unable to appear. A letter had been received by the prosecution, advising that she is currently in hospital, the court heard.

The court was told that Ms O’Brien is on bail in relation to the three charges.

Prosecutor Will Fennelly asked for an adjournment of the case until July “to see what position is being taken at that stage”.

Ms O’Brien’s defence counsel said she is represented by Mulholland Law in the case.

Mr Fennelly suggested that her legal team could correspond with the office of Tristan Lynas, State solicitor for Laois, to “furnish any medical documentation vis a vis Ms O’Brien”.

He told Judge Johnson that the case has been mentioned a “good number of times and it is going around in circles”. He said he was looking forward to seeing progress being made on the case.

Ms O’Brien’s defence counsel said however that she has a number of health issues.

Judge Johnson acceded to the State’s request to adjourn the case, as well as the request to furnish medical documentation in respect of Ms O’Brien.

The case has now been adjourned to July 28.