Kilkenny hurling coach who conned friend out of €40k withdraws appeal

Paul Neilan

A Kilkenny hurling coach convicted of conning his friend out of over €40,000 has withdrawn an appeal against what he had claimed was the severity of his six-month jail sentence.

At a brief hearing of the Court of Appeal, Sarah Jane Comerford BL told the three-judge court that her client, James Meagher, had instructed his legal team to apply for the withdrawal of the appeal.

Meagher (39), of Graigueswood, Freshford, Co Kilkenny, had pleaded guilty to fraudulently taking €42,000 from the injured party, a man he knew from childhood, contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. Seven other offences were taken into consideration.

Judge Elva Duffy imposed a two-year sentence at Kilkenny Circuit Court on March 22nd last and suspended the final 18 months.

Judge Duffy also postponed the activation of his prison sentence until June 1st due to Meagher's college commitments.

Meagher lodged the appeal against severity on April 18 but withdrew it today.

Meagher had coached the Kilkenny minor hurling team and was part of this year’s All-Ireland club championship-winning Ballyhale Shamrocks backroom staff.

In April 2019, the injured party transferred an initial payment of €10,000 and made subsequent payments until June with a further final payment made in November 2019, believing that he was investing in a sliotar business that turned to be non-existent.

The injured party said in his victim impact statement that he "grew up with a hurl in his hand" and that his "self-esteem has been shattered" as a result of the deception.