Former solicitor admits charge of deception

Sonya McLean

A former solicitor who was due to stand trial next year on multiple counts of theft will now be sentenced next March after he admitted a charge of deception.

Michael Small (55) of Renville, Oranmore, Co Galway, was due to stand trial in January on multiple counts of theft, deception and accounting offences, alleged to have taken place over a two-year period while he was in practice as a solicitor in Limerick.

On Wednesday he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to "dishonestly by deception inducing a woman to do an act to wit issue loan funds with the intention of making a gain for yourself or another" at Permanent TSB St Stephen’s Green, Dublin on September 2nd, 2008.

Roisin Lacey SC prosecuting told the court that the guilty plea was entered on “a non-prejudice basis”.

Michael O’Higgins SC, defending asked for a sentence date to be set and said the hearing would take an hour.

Judge Martina Baxter set a sentence date for March 27th, 2023, when all evidence will be heard and remanded Small on continuing bail until that date.