A man accused of stealing more than €21,000 from his bank through payments by cheque to a number of businesses in Donegal and other counties over the course of just six consecutive days has been sent forward for trial.
Gearoid Leonard (25) of Knockdoe, Claregalway, was brought in custody before Judge Mary Fahy at Monday’s sitting of Galway District Court where Garda Evelyn Barrett gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on the accused in relation to 24 counts of theft from AIB, Tuam Road amounting to a total of €21,221.
Inspector Brendan Carroll told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has consented to Leonard being sent forward for trial to Galway Circuit Criminal Court.
Offences committed in businesses in Donegal include theft through fraudulent transactions of €480 from Bank of Ireland, Main Street, Falcarragh, €120 from Centra Boyce, Dunfanaphy, and the theft of €26 from Next and €199 from Dunnes Stores, Retail Park, Letterkenny, on April 17, 2010.
The following day, there were similar charges of €110 from Macs Mace, Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny, and two incidents of stealing €35 from Milford Inn, Milford, Donegal.
Leonard is accused of theft from his bank through fraudulent transactions with the largest single amount being €6,850 from the Hanley Oaks, Rahoon, Galway, on April 18, 2010.
He is also charged with theft on five different days – from April 16 to April 21, 2010 – totalling €3,000 from Topaz, Tuam Road, Galway. There were also charges of theft through fraudulent transactions from A1 Parts Ltd, Tuam, Galway, of €1,000 on April 19, 2010, and a further €1,570 the following day. Leonard is also accused of going to Texoil Ltd, Galway, and carrying out a fraudulent transactions of €1,500 on April 19 and a further €1,500 the following day as well as committing similar offences at Park Tyres, Galway Road, Tuam, on April 20 to the sum of €1,500. Other Galway matters include the theft of €29 from West Wing Steakhouse, Kilmore, Tuam, on April 18, 2010.