Courts / Wicklow / Report
Peace Commissioner (75) who forged signatures when setting up glamping business gets suspended sentence
Summary
Patrick O'Connor, a 75‑year‑old Peace Commissioner from Ashford, Co Wicklow, forged the signatures of his two co‑directors when filing an A1 form for JP&P Property Limited in October 2022. He claimed he had no time to travel to obtain the signatures and that the co‑directors had consented to the forgery. The forged signatures were discovered by the Corporate Enforcement Authority during an investigation into a separate breach of the Companies Act. O'Connor pleaded guilty to one count of providing false information under the Companies Act. The court imposed a headline sentence of 18 months, reduced to 12 months, which was suspended in full. He was also disqualified from acting as a company director for five years. O'Connor has a small number of prior road‑traffic convictions and had previously worked for the Office of Public Works and ESB. The company never commenced trading.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Peace Commissioner (75) who forged signatures when setting up glamping business gets suspended sentence. Charges or matters: one count of providing false information under the Companies Act on a date in 2022. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 2022 Incident
- 2025-07-09 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of providing false information under the Companies Act on a date in 2022 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Peace Commissioner who forged the signatures of his co-directors – one of whom was barred from acting in that capacity – while setting up a glamping business, has been given a suspended sentence and barred from being a company director for five years. Imposing sentence today, Judge Orla Crowe said O'Connor was a Peace Commissioner and was a person who was trusted.; She adjourned the matter for finalisation until today.
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