Thomas Byrne to take stand in fraud trial

Former solicitor Thomas Byrne is to give evidence in his own defence on Friday at his €52 million theft and fraud trial. The prosecution has finished its case after 16 days of evidence. Judge Patrick McCartan told the jury yesterday that it would now hear from Mr Byrne, whose evidence is expected to take several days.

The judge withdrew one of the counts alleging forgery of a document associated with a house in Cabra because, he said, of lack of evidence

Mr Byrne (47), of Walkinstown Road, Crumlin, Dublin, is accused of theft and fraud offences totalling €51.8 million. The charges allege he transferred clients’ homes into his name and then used them as collateral for property loans.

He has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 50 counts of theft, forgery, using forged documents and deception between 2004 and 2007.

The final prosecution witness was Det Sgt Paschal Walsh who headed the investigation into Mr Byrne after the Law Society shut down his practice in October 2007.

Det Sgt Walsh agreed with Damian Colgan SC, defending, that he also investigated Mr Byrne’s business partner and property developer, John Kelly.

Criminal complaints
Det Sgt Walsh said the "vast majority" of the criminal complaints were against Mr Byrne but that two complaints were against Mr Kelly.

These were in relation to a €1.5 million loan from Irish Nationwide Building Society and a series of five loans from Permanent TSB.

He confirmed that Mr Kelly was not before the courts on any charges.

Det Sgt Walsh said the files showed Mr Byrne’s practice had 900 client accounts, 97 of which were in the name of Mr Kelly.

The trial continues before Judge McCartan and a jury of seven men and five women.