Catherine O’Brien remanded in continuing custody on deception charges

The court heard that while €6,000 had been brought to court as a bail bond, there was less than the required €5,000 in the independent surety bank account of her uncle, Ned Hawe.

Judge Miriam Walsh agreed to adjourn the case to Dungarvan district court on June 10. The court was told that she will appear in person at the hearing as Dungarvan courthouse does not have video link facilities. Ms O’Brien, 46, did not speak during the brief hearing.

She appeared before a special sitting of Clonmel district court on Sunday night, after being charged with five dishonest inducement offences in relation to just under €30,000 belonging to two men. The offences are alleged to have occurred in 2018 and 2019.

She is accused of using deception to induce a Michael Culhane to transfer €4,982 into a bank account she controlled, as well as inducing him to put a further €2,526 into a bank account.

The other charges relate to a French horse called Lingerville, with a John Blake being “dishonestly by deception” being induced to pay €1,000 insurance for the mare, €20,000 for the purchase of the animal and €984 for the transport of Lingerville from France to Ireland.

At Sunday night’s hearing, she was given two days to comply with a series of bail conditions, including the bail bond. Other conditions included the surrender of her passport and other travel documents and having to stay at an agreed address.

She cannot move to another address without seeking written permission from gardaí who have to agree to any move. She also has to provide the number of a mobile phone that must be switched on at all times.

Ms O’Brien, who the judge accepted is “a flight risk”, also has to sign on at a garda station every day when she is released.