A Swiss citizen facing a £290,000 fraudulent conversion charge who fled the State with his family in June had his bail confiscated at the High Court yesterday.
Mr Richard Deutsch (41), a father of three, with an address at Lacknacumeen, Belgooley, Co Cork, was accused in March of fraudulent conversion of the money which he allegedly received from Ms Margaret Cummins, of Darnstown, Killmallock, Co Limerick. He was granted bail by Mr Justice Budd in the High Court in April.
On that occasion, Mr Daniel O'Keeffe SC, for the State, said the £290,000 was given to the accused by Ms Cummins for a 12-month period of investment, ending in October 1996.
When Ms Cummins sought the return of the money, she was told it had been lost due to a bad investment. The court was told Mr Deutsch is sought by the authorities in his own country to serve an 18-month sentence for drugs-related offences.
State solicitor Mr William Murray, in an affidavit presented to the court yesterday, said Mr Deutsch had apparently fled from his Co Cork home at the end of June. Mr Deutsch had apparently phoned his bailsman, Mr Kieran Murphy, of Landsborough Avenue, Douglas, Cork, saying he was in Zurich, Switzerland, and would not be returning to Ireland.
In April, the High Court had released Mr Deutsch on an £80,000 bond and an £80,000 independent surety provided by his wife. She also lodged an independent cash sum of £10,000, while a second cash lodgement was made by Mr Murphy.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Budd ordered the estreatment of all the bails. However, when asked by Mr O'Keeffe to direct Mr Deutsch's solicitor to hand over the title documents to the Swiss citizen's Cork home and order the sale of the property, the judge said he would postpone a decision on this until next Wednesday.