Former solicitor charged with stealing more than €100,000 from clients

Stephen Maguire

A former solicitor has appeared in court charged with stealing more than €100,000 from clients' bank accounts.

Robert Sweeney appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal where he was charged with three different counts of stealing money.

The 47-year-old, with an address at Rosemount Terrace in Letterkenny, did not speak during the hearing.

He was charged with stealing the money from AIB bank accounts at Eyre Square in Galway in both 2012 and 2013.

Sweeney, a married man with grown-up children, stopped practising as a solicitor in 2014 after he undertook not to seek a practising certificate.

Garda Marvin Lee gave details of arresting and charging Sweeney at Letterkenny Courthouse and told how the accused made no reply.

Sweeney is charged that on November 11th, 2012 at AIB, Eyre Square in Galway, he did steal property to wit €25,000, money being credited to an account in the name of Robert Sweeney, the property of Yvonne Murphy.

He is also charged that on October 11th, 2013 at AIB Eyre Square in Galway, he did steal property to wit €43,000, money being credited to an account in the name of Robert Sweeney, the property of Manjit Gill.

The accused was also charged that on December 3rd, 2013, at AIB, Eyre Square in Galway, he did steal property to wit €35,000, money being credited to an account in the name of Robert Sweeney, the property of Ciaran Byrne.

All charges are contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

The accused man's solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said the Director of Public Prosecutions had given directions in the case and directed that the case should be tried by indictment before a judge and jury at the circuit court.

Mr Gallagher asked for legal aid for his client saying he was not working a present adding he was between jobs.

He added Sweeney was a married man and some of his children were attending university.

Mr Gallagher said that the charges were of a technical nature and that "there is a copious amount of paperwork which has already been started".

Judge Eiteain Cunningham agreed to the request for legal aid.

She also adjourned the case until March 25th to allow for the service of a book of evidence.