Former Killaloe Doctor Paschal Carmody has been dramatically acquitted of obtaining monies by deception from families of two terminally ill cancer patients.
The 65 year old from Ballycuggeran, Killaloe has been on trial before Ennis Circuit Court for the past two weeks.
Trial Judge Ray Fullam directed the jury to find Paschal Carmody not guilty on all nine charges of obtaining over €16,000 from families of 15 year old Wexford boy, Conor O’Sullivan and 57 year old Kilkenny man, John Sheridan in 2001-02.
Judge Fullam made his ruling this morning following an application by counsel for Mr Carmody, to dismiss the case at the end of the prosecution case.
In his ruling, Judge Fullam said: he wasn’t satisfied that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt all the essential elements of the offences alleged of false pretenses and deception.
He added: his judgement that there was no evidence about an intent to defraud or deceive on the part of Dr Carmody."
Discharging the jury and telling Paschal Carmody he was free to go Judge Fullam added the view that evidence on some counts was so weak that it would be a mistake to allow the case to go to the jury.
