A SENIOR garda yesterday secured additional time to serve a book of evidence on a 59-year-old man accused of theft and larceny of over €20,000 in connection with the sale of burial plots at an east Clare graveyard.
In a “graves for sale” case, Insp John O’Sullivan yesterday applied for additional time for the book of evidence to be served on Sean Leamy of Main Street, Tulla, Co Clare. Mr Leamy is facing a total of 50 charges concerning the theft and larceny of €20,339 from Clare County Council concerning the sale of burial plots at Clonlea Graveyard, Kilkishen, Co Clare,over a 10-year period.
An employee of Clare County Council, Mr Leamy was responsible for the administration of Clonlea graveyard in Kilkishen where he was employed as graveyard registrar from September 1999 to June 2009.
In court on the previous date, giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Det Garda John Mulvihill said that in response to being read the first charge after caution, Mr Leamy said: “I took the money, but I gave it all back again.” Det Garda Mulvihill said that for the following 48 charges, Mr Leamy responded “same as before”.
In total, Mr Leamy is facing 34 charges of theft contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Act on dates between November 5th, 2002, and April 20th, 2009, concerning a total amount of €15,990. He is also facing 15 larceny charges on dates between July 20th, 1999, and January 31st, 2001, concerning amounts ranging from €158.75 to €381 totalling €4,349. The counts show the amounts Mr Leamy is charged with the theft or larceny of steadily increased during the 10- year period.
The court was told yesterday Mr Leamy is an elderly man and had concerns about travelling to court due to the weather.
Judge Joseph Mangan further remanded Mr Leamy on bail to reappear before Ennis District Court on December 10th for the serving of the book of evidence.
