Seven appear in court in Cork on mortgage scam charges

Seven people have appeared in court on fraud charges in connection with an alleged €1 million mortgages scam.

The five men and two women appeared at Cork District Court following a two year investigation by gardaí into the obtaining of mortgages by deception from Bank of Ireland on six properties.

Officers from the Garda bureau of fraud investigation based at Anglesea Street in Cork today charged the seven accused with fraud offences in relation to a total of €970,000.

The State alleges mortgages were obtained by the seven accused in the names of fictitious persons after they made false mortgage applications supported by false P60s and driving licences.

Sgt Mary Skehan and Det Garda Michael Horgan gave evidence of arrest charge and caution in relation to a total of 39 charges covering various dates between 2009 and 2011.

All seven defendants are charged with dishonestly obtaining mortgages by deception contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences Act) 2001.

All seven are also charged with making false applications contrary to Section 25 and using false documentation to apply for the mortgages contrary to Section 26 of the same legislation.

Patrick Walsh (66) of Tinahely, Co Wicklow was charged with a total of 18 offences relating to mortgages obtained on a total of six properties in Co Cork, Co Kerry and Co Tipperary.

The 18 charges include ones relating to four houses in Co Cork including one at Douglaside, Gortroe, Lombardstown on which it is alleged a mortgage of €207,000 was obtained by deception.

It also includes two houses at Park View Close, Buttevant and one at Saddler’s Lane, Buttevant, where it is alleged mortgages of €161,460, €157,500 and €157500 were obtained by deception.

The charges also relate to houses at Lacey Ave, Templemore, Co Tipperary and at Powerline, Listowel, Co Kerry on which it is alleged mortgages of €126,000 and €160,650 were obtained.

A second defendant, Patrick O’Connor (43) of Annabella Park, Mallow was charged with a total of six offences relating to two €157,500 mortgages on two of the Buttevant houses.

A third defendant, Kathleen Russell (67) of Inniscarra Road, Fairhill, was charged with a total of three offences relating to the €161,460 mortgage on a third Buttevant house.

Michael Jewitt (34) of Oliver Plunkett Place, Doneraile, was charged with three offences relating to the obtaining of a €160,650 mortgage on the property in Listowel.

Patrick Crowley (29) from Church View, Churchtown, Mallow, was charged with three offences relating to the obtaining of a €126,000 mortgage on the house in Templemore.

Wendy Briant (54) from Greenane, Kanturk, was charged with three offences relating to the obtaining of a €157,500 mortgage on one of the Buttevant properties.

Shane Slattery (37) from Great William O'Brien St, Blackpool, Cork, was charged with three charges relating to the obtaining of €207,000 mortgage on the Lombardstown house.

Insp Eileen Foster said gardaí had no objection to bail for any of the seven accused and applied for a remand for six of them for service of the book of evidence on October 15th.

The DPP had directed trial by indictment in the case of all six but they were still seeking the DPP’s directions in the case of Ms Russell and she sought an adjournment on that basis to the same date.

Judge Leo Malone, who granted free legal aid to six of the accused and deferred a decision in the case of Ms Russell pending a statement of means, remanded all seven on bail to appear again on October 15th.