Courts / Cavan / Report
Former school principal who avoided jail for €200k theft is jailed after appeal
Summary
A former school principal from Ballybofey, County Donegal, has been sent to prison following a Court of Appeal ruling that his original suspended sentence was unduly lenient. Finbarr Boyle, aged 39, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and two counts of forgery relating to his time as principal at Kilnaleck National School in County Cavan between 2007 and 2012. He had originally received a wholly suspended two-year sentence in March 2018 on condition he repay €25,000. The Court of Appeal, on application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, found this sentence insufficient given the seriousness of the offending. Boyle misappropriated approximately €204,000 through various means, including unauthorised use of the school's visa card for personal expenses, improper cheque drawings, and fraudulent claims submitted to the Department of Social Protection. The Court of Appeal resentenced him to 15 months imprisonment, with immediate custody ordered.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former school principal who avoided jail for €200k theft is jailed after appeal. Charges or matters: five counts of theft and two counts of forgery while he was principal at Kilnaleck National School in Co Cavan between 2007 and 2012. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- March 15, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2012 Other
- 2007 and 2012 Other
- 2019-05-13 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: five counts of theft and two counts of forgery while he was principal at Kilnaleck National School in Co Cavan between 2007 and 2012 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Boyle, who originally faced 23 counts on the indictment, was given a wholly suspended two year sentence on condition he repay €25,000 by Judge John Aylmer at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court on March 15, 2018. He was accordingly sentenced to 15 months and immediately taken into custody.; The sentencing judge had adjourned the case for 12 months, with a view to Boyle obtaining the €25,000 figure for part restitution.
Places mentioned
- Cavan
- Cavan Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- The Circuit Court
- Boyle. The Circuit Court
Topics
Related court reports
- "One of life's victims" jailed for three years for staging housemate's suicide
- Woman to be sentenced for staging housemate's suicide
- Woman guilty of staging housemate's suicide
- Jury in staged suicide trial told they can return majority verdict
- Jury deliberating in staged suicide trial
- Jury asked to consider defences of duress and reasonable excuse
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request