Senior engineer on trial for deception

A FORMER senior engineer who is alleged to have awarded a kerbing contract dishonestly by deception, has gone on trial at Waterford Circuit Court.

The contractor who was awarded the contract denied he was “on to a sure thing” after helping out the accused at his home, the court heard yesterday.

Joseph Brennan (50), of Ceithre na Gaoithe in Ring, Co Waterford, was a senior engineer with Waterford County Council when he is alleged to have awarded the contract “dishonestly by deception” in Dungarvan in 2002. The trial on the deception charge could take up to three days.

It is alleged that on a date unknown between November 18th and November 27th 2002, at Waterford County Council offices in Dungarvan, Mr Brennan dishonestly induced Joe O’Flaherty to award a kerbing contract to David O’Riordan with the intention of making gain for Mr O’Riordan.

Mr O’Flaherty, town clerk with Dungarvan Town Council, was the housing officer at the time. Mr O’Riordan is a building contractor who has regularly carried out work for the council.

The charge relates to the awarding of a contract under which Mr O’Riordan was paid €18,920 plus VAT for kerbing works from the Park Hotel Roundabout at the N25 in Dungarvan to a housing estate at Shandon.

The trial continues.