THE FORMER personal assistant of Adam Clayton was served with a book of evidence yesterday and sent forward for trial, accused of embezzling millions of euro from the U2 bass guitarist.
Carol Hawkins (47), with an address at Crannagh Road, Rathfarnham, in Dublin, was charged in January with 184 counts under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
The charges relate to theft of various sums of money up to €3 million from bank accounts in the name of Mr Clayton on dates from 2005 until 2008.
She appeared yesterday for the second time at Dublin District Court, where Det Sgt Clodagh White of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation served a book of evidence, comprising three volumes, on Ms Hawkins.
State solicitor Joanne Gleeson told Judge Denis McLoughlin that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to Ms Hawkins being returned for trial on indictment to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on all 184 charges.
An application for legal aid to be granted was made by Ms Hawkins’s solicitor.
However, Ms Gleeson said there was an objection. “Gardaí are of the view that the accused may have property or assets in her own name,” she said.
The court was furnished with a statement of the defendant’s means but the State said time was needed to make inquiries in relation to the accused’s properties or assets.
The judge McLoughlin made an order sending Ms Hawkins forward for trial and said the issue of whether legal aid would be granted could be dealt with at a later stage, pending a Garda investigation of the statement of means.
Legal aid may be granted subsequently, he told Ms Hawkins.
He notified her that if she intended to use an alibi she must notify the State within 14 days. The judge then made an order sending her forward for trial during the present term of the Circuit Court.
Ms Hawkins spoke once during the case to confirm her signature on her bail bond.
She is on bail in her own bond of €500 with conditions and must notify the State if she intends to change her address, the court was told.