Former Macroom solicitor is sent forward for trial

Mark Cronin outside Macroom District Court last week.(Photo: John Delea)

By Kieran O’Mahony

A FORMER solicitor from Macroom has been sent forward for trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on nine charges of fraud involving more than €270,000 and one charge of arson at a bar and a solicitor’s premises.

Mark Cronin (39) of New Street, Macroom appeared before a sitting of Macroom Disctrict Court last week where he was remanded on continuing bail.

Detective Garda Tom O’Sullivan told Judge James McNulty that he had served a book of evidence on Mr Cronin in relation to all ten charges. There was no objection to Mr Cronin being remanded on continuing bail and the defendant had surrendered his passport, entered a bond of €10,000, and is signing on at a garda station in Dublin twice a week.

Mr Cronin is charged with three counts of stealing €30,000, €40,000 and €100,000 – from Maurice and Rosemary McCarthy at his office in South Square, Macroom on various dates in 2011 and 2012.

He also faces a charge of stealing €79,364 from Sean O’Sullivan, at his office, on date between January 25th 2011 and January 19th 2012.

Mr Cronin is also charged with stealing €24,200 from Eric Graham at his office in South Square, Macroom between July 1st and December 15th 2013.

All five theft charges against Mr Cronin are contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act 2001 and involve a total amount of €273,854.

Mr Cronin is also charged with two counts of theft by deception and two counts of using a false document, contrary to Section 6 and Section 25 of the same legislation. He is also charged with committing arson to a bar and a solicitor’s office in Middle Square, Macroom on October 4th 2010.

Judge McNulty remanded Cronin to appear again at the next sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court on June 9th.