Tom Tuite
Prosecutors have been given more time to prepare the case against a solicitor and an accountant facing trial following an investigation into property registration fraud in Dublin.
Herbert Kilcline, 59, a solicitor with an address at Bessborough Parade, Rathmines, Dublin 6 and accountant Matthew Murphy, 49, of The Hardwick, Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 were arrested in April by detectives from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.
Mr Kilcline is accused of money laundering and submitting false deeds to the Property Registration Authority stating ownership of two houses, at Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7 and St Mary’s Road, D4, had transferred from one business entity to a second firm.
Mr Murphy is accused of money laundering by handling or transferring crime proceeds totalling €268,125.
They appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court on April 27 and the case was adjourned for seven weeks.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment and a book of evidence has to be prepared before they are sent forward to the circuit court.
However, when the case resumed in the district court, a further six week adjournment was granted by Judge Kelly for the DPP to complete the books of evidence.
They must appear again on July 30th next.
The offences are alleged to have occurred in 2017 and the following year. There was no objection to bail.
'Grave financial difficulty'
Earlier, Detective Garda Ronan Farrelly said Mr Kilcline’s reply to charge was: “I’m completely innocent of all the charges, completely unaware of any impropriety”. The district court heard he worked part-time as a solicitor and earned €300 a week and was in “grave financial difficulty”.
He agreed to hand over his passport, stay in the country and sign on regularly his local Garda station.
Detective Garda Alan Egan had told Judge Kelly the co-accused Mr Murphy made no reply when charged.
