A STRUCK-OFF solicitor has appeared in court charged with dishonestly appropriating more than €2 million from three former clients.
Thomas Byrne (45), with an address at Aungier Street, Dublin 2, appeared before Dublin District Court yesterday charged with two counts of theft under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
Mr Byrne was charged with dishonestly appropriating a sum of €198,472.50 that was entrusted to him by his clients Brian Whelan, Brian Maher and Enda Mulryan to pay the stamp duty on a property on Dorset Street in Dublin 1 on or after May 2nd, 2006.
He was also charged with dishonestly appropriating a sum of €1,887,415.70 entrusted to him by the same clients for the purpose of discharging a loan from Permanent TSB on the same property.
Det Sgt Paschal Walsh of the Garda Fraud Bureau told the court Mr Byrne made no reply when he was charged with the offences at Irishtown Garda station yesterday afternoon.
Judge Cormac Dunne remanded Mr Byrne – who formerly had a solicitor’s practice in Walkinstown, Dublin – on bail on his own bond of €1,000 until February 3rd next.
Judge Dunne granted Mr Byrne legal aid and ordered that Mr Byrne surrender his passport and not apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs for another.
Mr Byrne’s counsel Seán Ó Síothcháin, instructed by solicitor David Christie, told Judge Dunne there was consent to the terms being imposed.
