Vincent O'Donoghue refused appeal extension for fraud

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Vincent O'Donoghue was refused extra time to appeal his fraudulent-conversion conviction by the Court of Appeal on 11 October 2019. The judgment was delivered by Birmingham P.

He had pleaded guilty to offences in the nature of fraudulent conversion on 27 February 2014, while represented by a solicitor and senior and junior counsel.

In seeking more time to appeal, O'Donoghue said his mental and physical state in 2014 undermined the voluntariness of his plea. He also said poor physical and mental health had hindered his ability to pursue an appeal, although he had formed the intention to appeal shortly after the plea and within the time allowed.

The court said the interests of justice did not support extending time to challenge that plea, referring to the importance of finality and certainty in criminal litigation. O'Donoghue had previously been ordered to complete 220 hours of community service instead of imprisonment after a sentence hearing on 29 July 2014.