A struck-off solicitor has been remanded on bail charged with dishonestly appropriating more than €2 million from three former clients.
Thomas Byrne (45), with an address on Aungier Street, Dublin 2, appeared before Dublin District Court this evening charged with two counts of theft under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
Mr Byrne was charged with dishonestly appropriating a sum of €198,472.50 that was entrusted to him by his clients Brian Whelan, Brian Maher and Enda Mulryan to pay the stamp duty on a property on Dorset Street in Dublin or after May 2nd, 2006.
He was also charged with appropriating a sum of €1,887,415.70 entrusted to him by the same clients on or after August 31st, 2007 for the purpose of discharging a loan from Permanent TSB on the Dorset Street property.
Det Sgt Paschal Walsh of the Garda Fraud Bureau told the court that Mr Byrne made no reply when he was charged with the offences at Irishtown Garda station this afternoon.
Judge Cormac Dunne remanded Mr Byrne on bail until February 3rd next on his own bond of €1,000.
He granted him legal aid and ordered that Mr Byrne, who previously operated a solicitors practice in Walkinstown, Dublin, surrender his passport and not apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs for another.
