Drover targeted in alleged fraud

ALLEGED DECEPTION AND THEFT OF €70,000 FROM IRELAND’S OLDEST SHEEP DROVER (93) IN KENMARE

ONE of Kenmare’s best-known men and Ireland’s oldest drover, Eugene O’Sullivan (93) was conned out of €70,000, it was alleged this week.

Patrick Hurley of Carhoogarriff, Leap, Cork is before the court charged with theft of €70,000 from Eugene O’Sullivan on two separate dates.

He is also facing two charges of dishonestly by deception of inducing Mr O’Sullivan to withdraw the money on the same dates.

Two of the incidents relate to the sum of €20,000 and the other two to the sum of €50,000.

Mr Hurley, who is 71 years old and was in attendance in court, was sent forward to the next sitting of Tralee Circuit Criminal Court for trial. The alleged offences took place in a location unknown in Kenmare on December 14, 2016; and March 15, 2017.

An application was made at Kenmare District Court to have the charge sheets amended to state an unknown location in Kenmare rather than an unknown location by gardaí as had previously been on the charge sheets. Defence solicitor Mr O’Connell said he had no objection to this. Jurisdiction had been denied at Kenmare District Court previously by Judge David Waters.

The court heard that the DPP has consented that Mr Hurley be sent forward for trial to the next sitting of Tralee Circuit Criminal Court.

The court also heard that the case was going forward on the basis of a not guilty plea. Defence solicitor Padraig O’Connell applied for legal aid. The court was told there was no objections to bail.

Photo by Valerie O’Sullivan Eugene O’Sullivan, aged93 years, is Ireland’s oldest drover and works at Kenmare Mart.He was allegedly conned out of €70,000, a court heard this week.