A JUDGE was told yesterday that it is now urgent that a case against a doctor charged with receiving more than €50,000 after falsely pretending to three cancer patients that they would be cured be held as early as possible.
Addressing Ennis Circuit Court in relation to the case against Paschal Carmody (60) of Ballycuggaran, Killaloe, Co Clare, Stephen Coughlan BL said that out of public interest reasons and that the alleged injured parties are anxious that the case go on, it was urgent that the case be heard.
In March, Mr Carmody was returned for trial in relation to 44 separate charges arising out of allegations that he treated cancer patients in return for cash payments.
In relation to an initial 18 counts, Mr Carmody is facing charges related to offences of larceny, deception and getting money ranging from €100 to €20,000 by false pretences in respect of three alleged injured parties on various dates between January 2001 and December 2002.
In relation to an additional 26 charges, Mr Carmody is charged with receiving a total of €35,436 through falsely pretending to three cancer patients that they would be cured by Photodynamic Therapy at the East Clinic, Killaloe between January and September 2002. In one case, Mr Carmody is charged with stealing €16,005 from one man, €10,036 from a couple and €9,395 from one woman all on dates between January and September 2002.
In all, there are three complainants and Mr Coughlan said that an application from the defence is being made to have the indictment against Mr Carmody severed three ways. This could result in three separate trials involving each alleged complainant. Mr Coughlan said that if the indictment remains as it is, the trial will last three weeks, but if it is severed, each trial will take one week.
Mr Coughlan said that the substantive part of the defence application is to have larceny charges struck out as there are a total of 20 counts of larceny in the Book of Evidence.
Mr Coughlan said that Denis Vaughan Buckley SC is due to prosecute the case on behalf of the State and senior counsel on behalf of Mr Carmody would be defending the case. Mr Coughlan said that the application by the defence will take a day.
Judge Carroll Moran said that the Carmody case is a priority case, stating that the trial would start on the first day of the next criminal sessions in Ennis on June 17th.
Judge Moran ruled that the hearing in relation to the defence application would be heard at Ennis Circuit Court on May 26th.
