Solicitor and accountant face trial over property fraud

A Solicitor and an accountant are to face trial following an investigation into property registration fraud in Dublin.

Herbert Kilcline, 59, a solicitor with an address at Bessborough Parade, Rathmines, Dublin 6 and accountant Matthew Murphy, 49, of The Hardwick, Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 were arrested on Tuesday morning by detectives from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.

Mr Kilcline is accused of money laundering and submitting false deeds to the Property Registration Authority stating ownership of two houses, at Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7 and St Mary’s Road, D4, had transferred from one business entity to a second firm.

Mr Murphy is accused of money laundering by handling or transferring crime proceeds totalling €268,125.

They appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court and a book of evidence has to be prepared.

There was no garda objection to bail and the pair were ordered to return to the District Court on June 18th. The court heard a considerable period of time was needed to complete the book of evidence.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in 2017 and 2018. Detective Garda Ronan Farrelly said Mr Kilcline’s reply to charge was: “I’m completely innocent of all the charges, completely unaware of any impropriety”.

Applying for legal aid, solicitor Daniel Cahalane said his client, Mr Kilcline, worked part time as a solicitor and earned €300 a week.

Mr Kilcline was in “grave financial difficulty and cannot afford legal representation, even at District Court level,” he said.

Judge Kelly deferred ruling on that until the next date.

Mr Murphy said he needed time to select a solicitor and told the judge he had never been in trouble before in his life.