Woman who stole over €300,000 from TV chef Martin Shanahan to sell home to pay compensation
Olivia Kelleher
A 52-year-old woman who stole more than €300,000 from TV chef Martin Shanahan is to sell her home in order to raise compensation money, a court has heard.
Nessa Gilsenan of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, Co Cork, appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.
She previously pleaded guilty to nine charges which related to theft and the submitting of false documents to Shanahan.
Gilsenan was an employee of the award-winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale at the time of the offences which occurred on dates between 2017 and 2022.
She admitted to falsifying the staff payroll system to make a gain for herself in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
In 2017, she dishonestly appropriated in excess of €26,000 from the Shanahan-owned business. The following year involved the theft of almost €55,000, whilst in 2019 Gilsenan dishonestly appropriated over €75,000 from her employer.
In 2020, 2021 and 2022, she dishonestly appropriated over €63,000, almost €69,000 and almost €15,000 respectively.
All of the charges refer to the period from January 1st to December 31st of each calendar year.
The offences were contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
Ms Gilsenan was first charged in relation to the offences in March of last year.
Defence counsel Donal O’Sullivan on Tuesday told Judge Helen Boyle that he had received €15,000 in compensation money from his client. Another compensation amount was paid by Gilsenan at a previous court appearance.
O’Sullivan asked for a lengthy adjournment in the case to allow for the sale of the property. Monies earned from the sale will go towards compensating Shanahan.
The judge remanded Gilsenan on bail for sentencing on November 4th next, when the full facts of the case will be outlined. The hearing is expected to last for around an hour.
Shananan is one of Ireland’s leading seafood chefs. His cookery programme “Mad about Fish” first featured on RTÉ in 2009.
Best-selling cookery books and further TV series such as Surf ‘n’ Turf with Paul Flynn followed.
