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Travel agent on trial accused of stealing over €18k from children-to-Lapland charity

Summary

John Murphy, 66, a travel agent from Killiney, Dublin, stands trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on four counts of theft. He founded the Children to Lapland Appeal in 1987, a charity that flew terminally ill children to Lapland, and served as its director until the organisation was liquidated in 2012. Murphy also ran United Travel, a travel agency that operated a route to Lapland. Bank records presented by prosecutor Garrett McCormack show that between June and July 2010, Murphy deposited four cheques from the charity's account into his personal account, totalling €18,643. The cheques were signed by Joseph Reid, a fellow director who testified that he signed blank cheques in batches for convenience, and that the money belonged to the charity. Reid expressed horror at the alleged fraud. Murphy's counsel, Patrick Reynolds, argued that the cheques were for business expenses and questioned the nature of the signatures. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Travel agent on trial accused of stealing over €18k from children-to-Lapland charity. Charges or matters: four counts of theft in the Dublin area. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• July 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-03-02 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Appeal Theft

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Read the original CNI report