A 51-year-old woman has been charged with stealing more than €70,000 from prominent TV chef Martin Shanahan who owns the award winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork.
Nessa Gilsenan, of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, was an employee of the restaurant run by Mr Shanahan and his wife Marie.
She appeared before a sitting of Kinsale District Court in Bandon on Thursday facing more than 130 charges relating to theft and the alleged submitting of false documents.
The charges allege Ms Gilsenan stole various sums of money, ranging from €82 to €1,650, from Fishy Fishy.
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The alleged offences occurred between 2017 and 2022. The charges are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
On Thursday, Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Judge John King that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that Ms Gilsenan should be returned for trial on indictment.
Defence solicitor Daithi O’Donnabhain asked for the case to be adjourned until the end of May.
Mr O’Donnabhain said he has been in contact with the State solicitor, Jerry Healy, regarding the case and needs to consider his client’s position “in totality”.
Ms Gilsenan was granted free legal aid.
Ms Gilsenan was present in court but not required to speak during the brief hearing. She was remanded on bail to appear before Kinsale District Court, sitting in Bandon, on May 15th for service of the book of evidence.
Mr Shanahan appeared in his first television venture in 2009, filming the first of a series of programmes: Martin’s Mad about Fish. He also teamed up with chef Paul Flynn to featured in the series Surf ‘n’ Turf, which aired on RTÉ.
He has also written a number of cookery books.
