Forsey sentencing is adjourned

Sentencing of a former Fine Gael town councillor, who was last week found guilty on corruption charges, has been adjourned till next month.

Convicted former Fine Gael Town Councillor, Fred Forsey has been remanded on continuing bail after his sentencing was adjourned yesterday due to a family bereavement among a member of his legal team.

Forsey (43) had been due for sentence today after he was convicted at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court last Friday of six counts of accepting corrupt payments from a developer on three separate dates in 2006.

But Forsey's solicitor, John Devane applied to have sentencing adjourned as his counsel, John Phelan SC had suffered a bereavement with the death of his mother-in-law early yesterday morning.

Mr Devane said Mr Phelan had prepared a detailed submission in mitigation for Forsey from Coolagh Road, Dungarvan, Co Waterford and in the circumstances it was felt that the best course of action for Forsey would
be to seek an adjournment.

Prosecution counsel, Denis Vaughan Buckley SC said that the state had no objection to an adjournment in the circumstances but he applied to vary Forsey's bail terms to sign on daily rather than three times a week at
Dungarvan Garda station.

Judge Gerard Griffin agreed to adjourn sentencing and remanded Forsey on amended bail terms to sign on daily at Dungarvan Garda Station and ordered him to appear at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on June 27th for
sentence.

Forsey, who was accompanied to court by his partner, Karen Morrissey and other family members, did not speak during the brief hearing and afterwards he and Ms Morrissey were driven from the court by Mr Devane.