Solicitor’s multi-million euro theft scheme results in 5 years and 9 months imprisonment

The Court of Appeal has re-sentenced a former solicitor to 5 years and 9 months imprisonment for ten counts of theft, totaling approximately €18 million, from various financial institutions. The original decision by the Circuit Criminal Court to impose a concurrent sentence of 5½ years for each count was upheld, with a slight adjustment for time served on remand. The appellate court recognised the appellant's professional status as an aggravating factor, given the breach of trust involved in exploiting his position to facilitate the thefts. The court also considered the harsh conditions the appellant endured while on remand in Brazil, adjusting the sentence accordingly but rejecting the claim for additional remission. The appellant's lack of previous convictions and positive character references were taken into account, but the absence of a guilty plea limited the mitigation available.