Solicitor Cahir O'Higgins guilty of stealing €400

One of the country's highest earning criminal legal aid solicitors has been found guilty of stealing €400 from a client he was representing in court eight years ago.

49-year-old Cahir O’Higgins was also convicted of four counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice the following year.

Mr O'Higgins, of Cahir O'Higgins and Company, Kingsbridge House, Parkgate Street, Dublin, had denied the allegations against him.

He is a criminal defence solicitor with more than 20 years' experience.

The court was told he was standing in for a colleague to represent Raul Sanz Quilis, a Spanish national, who was before the District Court on 30 July 2016 on a charge of criminal damage.

The judge said that day the case would be struck out if a payment of €200 was made and Mr O'Higgins then volunteered to use Mr Sanz Quilis' bank card to withdraw the money.

Mr O'Higgins made three withdrawals totalling €600 from the ATM and put €400 into his pocket.

€200 was paid to the court and the case against Mr Sanz Quilis was then struck out.

A garda investigation commenced after Mr Sanz Quilis subsequently discovered the money missing from his account.

Read more: Solicitor Cahir O'Higgins previously jailed over assault case

Mr O'Higgins provided gardaí in December 2017 with a copy of notes he claimed to have made on 30 July 2016 but the prosecution said these contained untrue information, and were not made on 30 July 2016.

Mr O'Higgins told gardaí that he was asked by solicitor Tracy Horan to attend district court on 30 July 2016 "as a favour to her".

He said he spoke to Mr Sanz Quilis before court and gave him advice and Mr Sanz Quilis indicated that he wanted to plead guilty.

He also said Mr Sanz Quilis consented to the withdrawal of €600 from his account and there was "no doubt in my mind that I had his full permission to use his card".

He said he withdrew €600 because he "wanted enough cash to arm" himself in case that the judge may change the order and direct compensation or a donation to charity above €200.

He also said he gave the money back. He said he put €400 and the charge sheets in an envelope and handed it to Mr Sanz Quilis after the case was struck out. He insisted he did not keep the money.

The jury today however found him guilty of all five charges, one of theft and four of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for sentencing later this month.