This article is from page 13 of the 2013-06-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A HOMELESSNESS campaigner convicted of stealing almost € 27,000 from a pensioner in Ennis will represent herself at a sentencing hearing next month, a court has heard.
Ennis woman Josephine O’Brien (59) told Ennis Circuit Criminal court last week that she had “dismissed” her legal team.
In April, Ms O’Brien, with an address at 15 Bridgeview, Roslevan, was convicted by a jury of nine of 10 counts of theft from the bank account of Stephen O’Halloran (87), a resident of St Joseph’s nursing home.
Ms O’Brien, a founder of the Homeless Education Learning Programme (HELP), was found guilty of stealing € 26, 503 on dates between July 2006 and October 2010.
The court heard she used some of the money to open a homeless shelter in Chapel Lane.
The case was listed for sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court last week. On Tuesday, Defence Solicitor Daragh Hassett applied to come off record in the case.
He said Defence Counsel, Lorcan Connolly BL, was also coming off record.
Mr Hassett told the court he had “strongly advised “Ms O’Brien that she should have legal representation for sentencing.
Ms O’Brien confirmed in court to Judge Keyes that she wished to represent herself.
She added, “I’m an intelligent woman and I’m quite capable of representing myself.”
Judge Gerard Keyes said, “That is your choice and we will respect it.”
Ms O’Brien told the court she sent an affidavit to the Attorney General.
Judge Keyes told Ms O’Brien that she had been found guilty on a number of counts after a trial.
In reply, Ms O’Brien said, “I have been found guilty on facts but there was no crime.”
Judge Keyes advised Ms O’Brien that she must go through the process of sentencing.
He told Ms O’Brien that the option to appeal was open to her after sentencing is complete, if she wished to pursue it.
Ms O’Brien also indicated to the court that she wished to get the tapes of her garda interviews.
Judge Keyes said Ms O’Brien must first make an application to the court. He added that the tapes would be released “subject to strict conditions.”
Sentencing was adjourned to July 11. Ms O’Brien is on continuing bail.