A former solicitor defrauded his clients and company of €310,000, a court has heard.
David O’Shea was remanded in custody until next week when he will be sentenced for 26 counts of fraudulently taking money. O’Shea (44), Parkmore Drive, Terenure, was formerly a partner in O’Donovan’s Solicitors, Capel Street, Dublin.
He pleaded guilty to fraudulently accessing client accounts for sums ranging from €400 to more than €250,000 between 2002 and 2008.
O’Shea claimed he had been threatened by Giovanni Di Stefano, a well-known international lawyer whose previous clients include convicted drug dealer John Gilligan. He said he tried to borrow money from a bank to pay him, but when that failed he used €82,750 meant to cover stamp duty on a client’s property.
Paul Carroll, prosecuting, told Dublin Criminal Circuit Court that the fraud was uncovered when an accountant found anomalies. Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded O’Shea into custody until next week, when he will be sentenced.