Woman charged with theft of over €400,000 from Co Cork credit union

A woman has been charged with the theft of more than €400,000 over a seven year period from the Co Cork credit union where she worked.

Moira Coughlan was charged with 592 offences relating to the theft of €407,441.94 from some 29 accounts at the Synergy Credit Union in Fermoy.

Ms Coughlan (55), of the Stables, Mineville, Knocknahorgan, Sallybrook, Glanmire, was charged with 251 counts of theft as well as 300 counts of unlawful use of a computer and 41 counts of false accounting between 2009 and September 2016.

Det Sgt James O'Shea told Fermoy District Court that he arrested Ms Coughlan on May 4th and charged her with the offences, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act.

Abortion referendum: Turnout hits 70% in some areas as polls close

---

First family secures home in Dublin under repair and lease scheme for landlords

---

Bathing restrictions lifted over E.coli at Doonbeg beach

---

The troubled history of the Eighth Amendment

---

He said that Ms Coughlan made no reply to any of the charges when they were put to her after caution.

Insp Tony O'Sullivan said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial by indictment at circuit court level.

Signing

Joe Cuddigan, solicitor for the accused, said his client was seeking to go forward on a signed plea of guilty but he asked that she be excused from signing her name on all 592 charges.

He said his client was due to go for surgery on her right shoulder on Thursday for a nerve problem, which was affecting her wrist, and he asked that she be allowed mark the charges with an X.

Judge Brian Sheridan accepted that Ms Coughlan might have a difficulty signing her name to all 592 charges but he suggested that she should initial each charge rather the just mark them with an X.

He granted an application to Insp O'Sullivan to return Ms Coughlan on a signed plea of guilty to the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court on June 6th.