A former solicitor has been remanded on bail after he was charged with nine theft and fraud offences including the theft of more than €250,000 from clients over a four year period.
Mark Cronin (39) with an address at New Street, Macroom, Co Cork made no reply to the charges when he was charged after caution by Det Garda Tom O'Sullivan, Bandon District Court was told.
Mr Cronin was charged with three counts of stealing sums of €30,000; €40,000 and €100,000 from Maurice and Rosemary McCarthy at South Square, Macroom on various dates in 2011 and 2012.
He was also charged with stealing a sum of €79,364.48 from Sean O’Sullivan, also at his office at South Square, Macroom, on a date between January 25th 2011 and January 19th 2012.
Mr Cronin was also charged of stealing €24,220 from Eric Graham at his office at Cronins Solicitors, South Square, Macroom on a date between July 1st 2009 and December 15th 2013.
All five theft charges against Mr Cronin are contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act 2011 and involve a total sum of €273,854, the court heard.
Mr Cronin was also charged with two counts of theft by deception and two counts of using a false document, contrary to Section 6 and Section 25 respectively of the same legislation.
Insp Jerry Lacey said gardai had no objection to bail on certain conditions and Judge James McNulty remanded Mr Cronin on his own bond of €10,000 to appear at Macroom District Court on March 4th.
Judge McNulty made it a condition of Mr Cronin's bail that he sign on at the Bridewell Garda Station in Dublin twice weekly and that he surrender his passport to An Garda Síochána.
