Deception accused overpaid by €50k in bail surety

A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.