Former Credit Union employee charged with stealing €400k
By Olivia Kelleher
A former credit union employee in her 50s has been charged with the theft of more than €400,000 from her old workplace.
Moira Coughlan (55) of The Stables, Mineville, Knocknahorgan, Sallybrook in Glanmire, Co Cork appeared before Fermoy District Court in Co Cork today in connection with 592 offences relating to the theft of the money from Synergy/Fermoy Credit Union in North Cork.
Judge Brian Sheridan was told that Ms Coughlan was seeking to go forward on a signed plea of guilty. Her solicitor Joe Cuddigan asked that she be excused from signing her name on all 592 charges as she is awaiting surgery for a nerve problem in her right shoulder which is impacting on her wrist.
He asked Judge Sheridan if his client could mark the charges with an X.
Judge Sheridan said he accepted that the former employee would have an issue with signing her name to all the charges. However, he ordered that she initial each charge rather than using an X.
The DPP had ruled that the matter be dealt with on indictment by judge and jury before Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The total amount in question is €407,441.94.
Such was the volume of charge sheets in question that a room was provided near the courtroom for Ms Coughlan to sign the plea whilst in the presence of a garda.
The State applied for the defendant to be remanded on bail until her next court appearance. She was remanded on bail until the next session of Cork Circuit Criminal Court which get underway on June 6 next.
The question of legal aid in the case will be decided at Circuit Court level. Mr Cuddigan handed a sworn affidavit in support of legal aid to both the court and Gardaí.
Ms Coughlan did not speak during the brief hearing. Detective Sgt James O'Shea said that Ms Coughlan also made no reply when she was charged with the offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences Act). The offences occurred at various dates from 2009 to 2015.
The counts include 251 charges of theft contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001.
The counts include three hundred charges of the unlawful use of a computer and an additional 41 counts of false accounting.
