Patricia Kelly Pleads Guilty To Charge Of Failing To Keep The Books Of Account, As Director Of Charity Console

Thursday, 22 February 2024 13:55

She has been fined €1,500

The widow of the late founder of suicide prevention charity Console has been fined €1,500 after she pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to keep the books of account as a director of the company.

Patricia Kelly of Alexandra Manor, Clane, is the widow of the charity's former chief executive, the late Paul Kelly.

Mr Kelly had been facing multiple charges in connection with financial irregularities at Console but took his own life in February 2020, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.

Judge Martin Nolan was told the Director of Public Prosecutions was not pursuing a number of other charges against Kelly after accepting her guilty plea on the basis that it was not a "willful" failure, meaning she could not be imprisoned for the offence.

Judge Nolan said it seemed the State "had its suspicions" on another 28 charges but it came to the conclusion that it could not prove the allegations and adopted the position it would accept the plea.

Console - which offered support for those bereaved by suicide - was placed in liquidation after a number of investigations into financial irregularities at the charity.

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