A 62-YEAR-OLD Co Clare man yesterday pleaded not guilty of seeking to defraud relatives of cancer patients of more than €30,000 by falsely pretending that the patients would be cured of cancer.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Paschal Carmody, of Ballycuggeran, Killaloe, pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of defrauding family members of three cancer patients of €30,854 at the East Clinic in Killaloe in 2001-02.
It is alleged that Mr Carmody falsely pretended that the patients would be cured of cancer through receiving Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) at the clinic.
Mr Carmody pleaded not guilty to seven deception charges totalling €9,610 in relation to defrauding parents Derek and Christina O’Sullivan concerning the PDT treatment given under false pretences to their son, Conor O’Sullivan, on dates between July and October 2002.
Mr Carmody also pleaded not guilty to two charges of obtaining €14,300 from the family of John James Gallagher in February 2002 concerning the PDT treatment given under false pretences to Mr Gallagher.
Mr Carmody also pleaded not guilty to obtaining by deception €6,944 from John Sheridan of Kells, Co Kilkenny in November 2001 through the administration of PDT.
Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan, told the jury yesterday the case was likely to take three weeks. A jury of eight men and four women was impanelled.
Judge Donagh McDonagh said that a very large number were called for the jury panel as it was anticipated there would be difficulties in filling the panel.
The judge warned the jury not to go on the internet to read about the trial. He said he did not want their minds contaminated in any way as no evidence had yet been heard.
The judge said there were a number of preliminary matters to be dealt with in court in their absence and asked that they return this morning when evidence in the case will begin.