A nun admitted to gardai during an interview that she forged a nurse's name on a document intended for use to incorporate a company, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been told.
Det Sgt Gerry Nohilly told the court the document was given to him by the nun during a Garda investigation of the Mullingar-based All-Ireland Children's Hospice in 1996.
Sister Mary Gregory O'Reilly of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, with an address at Lincoln Place, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to forging the nurse's name on or about February 24th, 1992 with intent to defraud.
Mr Tom O'Connell prosecuting told Judge Kieran O'Connor and the jury the document was never actually sent to the Registrar of Companies due to a deficiency in it. The nurse signed another set of documents used to incorporate All-Ireland Children's Hospice Ltd in June 1992.
Det Sgt Nohilly said he interviewed Sister Gregory about five times in the course of the investigation which began in October 1996. She gave him a photocopy of the document during an interview on December 6th, 1996.
He interviewed her again on May 24th, 1997, at Mullingar Garda station. She had gone there voluntarily by appointment and at her own wish rather than him coming to meet her in Dublin. She was not under arrest and could leave the station at any time if she chose. The interview took the form of questions by gardai and her rep lies and all these were written down. Sister Gregory made one amendment before signing the notes of the interview as being correct.
She also noted she was in the station by her own free will.
Det Sgt Nohilly said he showed her the copy of the document with the nurse's signature on it and said the nurse had indicated the signature was not hers. At first Sister Gregory said the writing was like her own.
She agreed in reply to a further question that it was her writing and added she did not know why she did it.
Det Sgt Nohilly said he formally arrested Sister Gregory on October 22nd, 1997 and charged her with forgery with intent to defraud. She replied: "I am not guilty".
The hearing continues.