Breifne O’Brien to be sentenced at end of next month

Businessman Breifne O’Brien will be sentenced on July 30th on multiple charges of multi-million euro theft and deception. O’Brien (52), Kilmore, Monkstown Grove, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 14 sample counts earlier this month. They included stealing money and dishonestly inducing people to invest in bogus shipping and insurance schemes, and also bogus property schemes in Paris, Manchester and Hamburg, between 2003 and 2008.

O’Brien, whose family home is in Carrigrohane Castle, Co Cork, had denied all charges, but he changed his plea on the day his trial was due to start.

Patrick McGrath SC, defending, asked Judge Patricia Ryan to adjourn sentencing to next October after stating that there have been family difficulties. He handed in a letter to the court relating to these. Judge Patricia Ryan refused and set July 30th for the sentencing hearing, which is set to take at least one day. She remanded O’Brien on continuing bail.

The deception involves five victims, Martin O’Brien, Naas, Co Kildare; Pat Doyle and Evan Newall, both Dublin; dairy farmer Louis Dowley, Carrick-on- Suir, Co Tipperary, and Daniel Maher, Foxrock, Co Dublin.

The charges outline that about €4 million was stolen from Mr Dowley. O’Brien also admitted deceiving Mr Doyle and Mr O’Brien of €500,000; Mr Newell of about €3 million and Mr Maher of €450,000. The deception against Mr Newell relates to the sale of lands in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath. The offences took place at National Irish Bank in Stillorgan and Donnybrook, Dublin, and Ulster Bank, Donnybrook.

Mr McGrath said his client had no previous convictions.

In May 2013, Mr O’Brien lost a High Court judicial review challenge arguing he could not get a fair trial due to adverse publicity in the print and broadcast media. He appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the trial could proceed any time after June 2014.