A FORMER doctor based in Killaloe has been acquitted by a Circuit Court jury of obtaining monies by deception from two terminally ill cancer patients he was treating at his practice during 2001 and 2002.
With an address in Ballycuggeran, Killaloe, the accused 65-year-old faced nine counts on the charge sheet that alleged he deceived the families of 15-year-old Wexford teen, Conor O’Sullivan and 57-year-old Kilkenny man, John Sheridan of over €16,000 during the dates in question.
The trial, running in Ennis Circuit Court over the last two weeks, had been mentioned at Limerick Circuit Court in the past after the accused man sought to represent himself in Limerick. However, the case was relisted after twice collapsing and the former doctor was acquitted by the court an all counts last week.
Judge Fullam addressed the court after prosecution counsel made an application to dismiss the case after it concluded its evidence in the matter. The circuit court judge said that he was not satisfied with the prosecution case that it had proven beyond reasonable doubt all the elements in the case that the accused obtained the money by fals pretences and deception. He added that there was no evidence that the accused went with the intent to defraud or decieve.
In discharging the jury, Judge Fullam said the evidence was so weak, it would be unfair to let it go to the jury.
