A company director jailed for two years for tax fraud will be home for Christmas following a decision of the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Patrick O'Doherty (42), Ballingarry, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to making incorrect VAT returns based on false invoices, some of which had been acquired illegally, and to obtaining money by false pretences between 1995 and 1996 amounting to £34,118. The court heard O'Doherty's appeal against severity of sentence yesterday. Allowing for remission, he would be due for release next April.
The trial judge had ordered that O'Doherty serve six months in relation to one set of charges and 18 months in relation to a second set, to be served consecutively, making a total of two years.
Mr Justice Hardiman said the court was concerned with the question of the "consecutivity" of the sentences.