He appeared in Nenagh District Court on Friday.
By Conor Kane
All-Ireland winning Tipperary hurler Darren Gleeson has been sent forward for trial at the Circuit Court on charges alleging that he stole more than €93,000 using cheques between 2013 and 2015.
Mr Gleeson (35) from Shesharoe, Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, appeared before a sitting of Nenagh District Court on Friday morning after a book of evidence was served on him by gardaí.
Sgt Michael Keating said the State’s application was that the former All-Star goalkeeper be sent forward for trial to the current sittings of Nenagh Circuit Court. The DPP had recommended that the five charges against Mr Gleeson be dealt with by way of indictment.
Mr Gleeson, who worked in the financial services industry, is on bail and legal aid was granted by Judge Elizabeth McGrath. He was a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team who defeated Kilkenny in September’s All-Ireland final in Croke Park.
He also won a medal in 2010 when he was a substitute when Tipperary beat Kilkenny. He has won six Munster senior hurling championship medals.
The charges against the hurler are that he stole €50,000, by lodging a cheque made payable to himself and and drawn on the account of a woman, on May 21st, 2014; that he stole €10,000 on February 26th, 2015, by lodging a cheque made payable to himself and drawn on the account of the same woman; and stole €1,960 on September 6th, 2013, via the same method.
He is also charged with stealing €22,000 from a man on November 29th, 2013, by lodging a cheque made payable to himself and drawn on the account of that man; and with stealing €10,000 from the same man on February 25th, 2013, using the same method.
The crimes are alleged to have happened in banks in Nenagh, Thurles and Limerick and the charges are under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
Mr Gleeson was not called upon to speak in court and was present with his solicitor Patrick Kennedy.
The judge gave him the routine warning when cases are sent forward for trial, that if he intends to rely on any alibi evidence at his trial, he has 14 days to furnish details of this evidence to the State.
As well as assigning Mr Kennedy to be Mr Gleeson’s legal representative at the trial, she certified for one counsel to appear.
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