Man for sentencing over Gay Pride theft

A man who stole more than €10,000 from the organisation that runs the annual Gay Pride Parade, while working there as financial director, will be sentenced next January.

John Finucane (above) of Bridgewater Quay, Islandbridge, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to several counts of stealing cash from the Dublin Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ) organisation, Capel Street, between October 29th and December 11th, 2011.

Det Garda Derek O’Rourke agreed with Lorcan Staines, defending, that Finucane (35) later told gardaí he had been planning to kill himself and was anticipating that a payment due to him could be used, upon his death, to reimburse LGBTQ.

The charges represented Finucane using the cards for unauthorised payments, totalling €10,403, over nine weeks.

He was working in a voluntary capacity at the time and had access to two credit cards.

He either bought items with the card or withdrew cash from ATMs using the pin that had been supplied to him. He used the money to pay for hotel rooms and into nightclubs for himself and his then partner, and to buy Christmas presents for his family and friends and flowers for his partner’s mother.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring said Finucane's actions represented "a significant betrayal".

She adjourned the case until next January and ordered a probation report for that date. Finucane was remanded on continuing bail.