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Sunday World
18 hours ago
- Sunday World
Disgraced hurler DJ Carey had ‘begging letter templates' he would send to cancer scam victims
Ex-GAA star targeted people he thought had money to scam them out of thousands The person described Carey as an 'emotional terrorist' who targeted them and a group of their friends in a bid to lure others into his scam to get money over his fake cancer yarn. This individual was due to be called as one of the state's 34 witnesses in the case against the legendary Kilkenny hurler over deceiving a string of people out of money before he this week pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 10 charges related to defrauding people who believed he had cancer. Today they unveil how the one-time sporting ace, who won five All-Ireland titles and is a former All Star and Kilkenny captain, caught people in his trap. Anonymous 'The investigating officers told us that, from half five in the morning until two o'clock the next night, he was busy with emails – he had three templates,' explains the person, who says they want to remain anonymous because they are fearful of him. DJ Carey in his playing days for Kilkenny 'Basically they were letters looking for help. He had one [relating to] Revenue, and he would send them to people in business who had issues with Revenue and they would be sympathetic. 'He had one related to the banks, saying 'the banks were at him' and they needed this help, and that was for people who he knew had issues with the banks. 'Then he had the one about cancer and sympathy. He sent that out to people who he knew either had cancer themselves or were bereaved because of cancer. He was sending them out to everybody.' The witness said they believe a lot of high-profile people were targeted by Carey. 'The police said it was literally a 'who's who' of Irish celebrities from the 1990s and 2000. He just randomly messaged everybody. He'd find their details or meet them at events,' they explain. 'We heard him one time on the phone to Mick McCarthy, and another time he said he was going to see Daniel O'Donnell in Donegal, whether he tried to bum money off him too, who knows. 'He'd keep in with GAA clubs, ministers, even lower level people so they'd feel starstruck with the big famous guy and so they'd be spilling the beans to him. He'd ring people gossiping all the time, looking for information on wealthy people or whoever.' The witness recalls how she first met the 54-year-old several years ago when they and a group of friends were approached by him in a shop in Kilkenny City while they were buying coffee. Started 'He just started talking to us and the second sentence was, 'I have terminal cancer',' they said. 'We would have recognised him from school, as we would have got a day off because of the All-Ireland, but we had never actually met him. He's a good bit older than all of us. 'I wasn't starstruck, the lads maybe, and he really milked that completely.' But having never seen him before Carey started turning up elsewhere. 'Almost the other same week the other group of our friends were in a restaurant, and he just sat there and made conversation and said the exact same thing,' they maintain. 'We found out later that he had been asking about us months before we actually met us. Him meeting us was not an accident, he researches people and does this to everyone.' The witness names a cancer victim whom Carey stung for €5000, but who managed to get it back off him. 'We would have had a few charity fundraisers in the town and he just did a bit of googling, and whoever was in the papers.' The witness also reveals how his story – about what he told them was his cancer journey – included dealing with a specialist in a Seattle hospital. 'The actual story of how he got 'cancer' is amazing,' Former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th 'He maintained he had a number of aneurisms around 2011, he said he was brought into a Dublin hospital for a treatment for a brain aneurism and he said some foreign doctor made a mistake and gave his radium therapy, which you wouldn't do. 'He said not only did they make a mistake with the treatment but they gave him too much. 'He said he got a blood cancer called multiple myeloma from this radium thing.' They say that Carey then claimed he got his 'good friend Denis O'Brien' to engage with a solicitor to help him (Mr O'Brien was listed in court this week as one of Carey's 13 named victims he scammed out of money). 'Denis O'Brien doesn't know him from a hole in the wall, but he said Denis gave him a solicitor and he said they sued James' hospital and he got over €1 million in compensation,' they point out. 'When we met him [he claimed] the prognosis was very bad and he had eight months to live. He was such a good actor, even putting on a croaky voice. 'Then he said he went off to a faith healer and got 'better'. Then he got 'sick' again.' The witness says they lost some money through her dealings with Carey through a different issue, but managed to get it back. 'I think he thought we had loads of money because we did a load of charity stuff and had a lot of connections. We do a lot of stuff with sick children. 'It's very weird, it wouldn't ask for money directly. He'd say he had 'issues with Revenue' and the payment was coming soon having won this litigation with the bank, so what he was always doing was looking for money in lieu of this big payment coming 'For us he never asked us for any money for treatment, but he used us to spread the story he was sick. We are different type of victims. 'We would have introduced him to an awful lot of people. 'He was known for following people around, get to know what they were doing. 'He would find out people's Achilles heels and use it against them. He would turn up everywhere.' The witness and their group were eventually contacted by gardai. Uncomfortable 'The police said 'the only thing we can tell you that all he was trying to do was buy time because it made him look like he was legitimate and accompanying nice people',' they disclose. The witness says gardaí said they had never came across anyone like Carey. 'When they had him for 48 hours, that he sat down and he did not move,' they stress. 'He didn't speak and he had no comment, and wasn't a bit uncomfortable and didn't flinch, They have to give toilet breaks, so he'd just get up for them. 'They said he would never reply, not even 'no comment'. They got exacerbated that he was so steely and psychologically not perturbed. They said they actually gave us and they'd never had anybody in custody like that. 'What they said to us and others was they believe it was a psychological disorder and most likely psychopathy.' A spokesperson for Denis O'Brien told the Sunday World the businessman had 'no comment' to make about DJ Carey.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
The Indo Daily: DJ Carey pleads guilty - Kilkenny hurler admits to falsely claiming he had cancer
Hurling star DJ Carey has admitted falsely claiming he had cancer and defrauding people into paying him for treatment. The former Kilkenny player (54) pleaded guilty to 10 deception charges when he appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today. He had been due to stand trial but entered the plea when he was formally arraigned before the court this morning. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded him on continuing bail for a sentence hearing to take place on October 29. Carey pleaded guilty to dishonestly by deception inducing victims to make monetary payment to him after he fraudulently claimed to have cancer and needed finances to obtain treatment. The charges are under Sections 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act. Carey, from a large sporting family, is regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the game's history, winning five All-Ireland senior medals with Kilkenny, including 2003 when he captained the team. He was twice named Hurler of the Year and won nine All Star awards. After retiring from play in 2006, he managed the Kilkenny U21 hurlers and was a selector for the county senior team.
Sunday World
24-06-2025
- Sunday World
Dublin man who held over €360k of drugs after shown photos of his family jailed
Gardaí accepted that Stuart Murphy (46) was under duress to store the drugs after he was shown photographs of his family to put him under further pressure. A man who agreed to hold over €360,000 worth of cannabis resin after he was shown photographs of his father, fiancé and 11-year-old daughter has been jailed for five years. Gardaí accepted that Stuart Murphy (46) was under duress to store the drugs having just received them two hours before officers searched his home. He had run up a drug debt of €8,000 after he relapsed into drug addiction during the Covid pandemic. It was accepted that he was shown photographs of his family to put him under further pressure. Murphy, of Dromcara Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having 629 slabs of cannabis resin, worth an estimated € 364,800, in a van parked outside his home on December 20, 2023. He has no previous convictions. Garda Patrick Roche told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that Murphy's home was searched after a warrant was secured following receipt of confidential information. Murphy was visibly nervous and told officers that they would find cannabis in a van parked outside his home. He said his friend owned the van but made it clear that his friend had nothing to do with the drugs. Stuart Murphy (46). Photo: Murphy was arrested and admitted that he had run up a drug debt. He said he had taken the drugs two hours previously and had been told he would only be holding them for a short time. Gda Roche agreed with Mr Cooney that Murphy was fully co-operative and gardaí are satisfied that his account that he was in fear for his life and under duress to take the drugs was a valid and true account of the situation. Murphy said he had been shown images of his father going to work, his fiancé going to work and a photograph of his 11-year-old daughter while she was visiting Ireland from her home in France. Stuart Murphy (46) of Dromcara Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin. Photo: News in 90 Seconds - June 24th Gda Roche agreed with Paul Murray SC, defending, that Murphy had a previous addiction but had gone into rehabilitation and 'had been clean for over 20 years'. Counsel told Judge Sinead Ní Chúlacháin that his client offered 'an unreserved apology' to the court, his family and society in general for his involvement in the offence. He said that Murphy had developed a drug addiction in 1998 to 'all types of drugs' but had sought help and had rehabilitated in 2004. Mr Murray said his client lost his job during Covid and was also unable to meet with his daughter who lives in France with his former partner. He became very depressed at the time and stopped attending his regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings. He relapsed into drug use and built up a drug debt. Counsel said his client acknowledges that it was his own drug addiction that led to his involvement in the offence but asked the court to accept that he 'came under pressure' to store the cannabis. 'His personal demons came to find him and led him to being here. He is not a drug dealer, he is a man with personal demons,' Mr Murray submitted to the court. Mr Murray handed in a large number of references on his client's behalf which outlined his involvement with youth centres in his local area. He said he has since re-engaged with NA meetings and is free from drugs again. 'He is the picture of someone who has been a good person in society for most of his life. Covid had a devastating impact on him and led him to the position he finds himself in today,' Mr Murray submitted. Judge Ní Chúlacháin accepted that Murphy only had the drugs in his possession for a short time and that it had not been his intention to sell them for personal gain. She acknowledged that there was 'undoubtedly an element of duress'. 'I suspect that the photographs were more active motivations for storing the drugs rather than reducing your debt,' the judge said. She said 'drugs are a scourge in our society and that is recognised by the legislature. Those who profit from this would not be able to function without people like yourself who are not under the garda radar.' Judge Ní Chúlacháin set a headline sentence of 12 years. She took into account Murphy's admissions and accepted that gardaí accept his account to them was truthful. She further accepted that he was a pro-social member of society who despite his addiction had been active in his encouragement to others not to use drugs and break their own addictions. She said there were references in court to support this. Judge Ni Chúlacháin imposed a sentence of six years. She suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for 12 months on condition that Murphy engage with the Probation Service for a year upon his release from prison.
Irish Times
23-06-2025
- Irish Times
School principal jailed for indecent assault at Blackrock school described as ‘an ogre'
A former school principal convicted of the indecent assault of six boys over a 30-year period has been jailed for four years for some of these offences. Aidan Clohessy (85) was convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault following two separate trials at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last month. Imposing sentence on Monday, Judge Elva Duffy said Clohessy was 'living a life full of good deeds during the day', but was also 'an ogre' who carried out 'what can only be described as atrocities at night time, when no one could see that behaviour'. Clohessy was the principal of St Augustine's School, Blackrock , Co Dublin, from the early 1970s until 1993. The six boys were all pupils of the school. Some were boarders at the school, which catered for boys with mild to moderate learning disability at that time. READ MORE The boys were aged between 10 and 13 when Clohessy's offending took place. The abuse primarily took the form of inappropriate touching, the court heard. In the first trial, Clohessy, with an address at the Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Granada, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, was convicted of 14 counts of indecent assault – 10 in relation to one boy and four in relation to a second boy on dates between 1983 and 1985. He was given a global sentence of four years in relation to the offending against these two injured parties. The judge noted Clohessy's age and health would make custody more challenging for him. The jury in the second trial returned guilty verdicts on five counts of indecent assault – two for one boy, and one count each in relation to three other boys. All this offending took place between 1969 and 1986. Clohessy was acquitted of three further counts of indecent assault. Having heard evidence in this case, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case overnight to consider sentence. Victim-impact statements were read to the court on behalf of all six injured parties. They outlined how the abuse affected their mental health, relationships, education and later employment opportunities. One man said: 'Brother Aidan, I don't forgive you but I don't judge you any more. That responsibility does not belong to me. 'One day, you will stand before the man you chose to serve. One day, you will stand before your maker, and on that day, you will be handed your judgment.' Another said he struggled to learn his wedding vows or to read his children a story. Clohessy was interviewed voluntarily by gardaí and denied wrongdoing. He acknowledged that corporal punishment was used in the school including by him. Clohessy told gardaí this included striking boys on their bare buttocks, but said this was only for the most serious offences and only of those boys who were residents at the school. The investigating gardaí agreed with Ronan Kennedy SC, defending, that his client was co-operative during the investigation. The garda further agreed that Clohessy has been the subject of adverse media publicity. Mr Kennedy told the court his client would not be appealing the jury's decision in either trial. Clohessy is originally from Co Limerick and entered the religious order after completing his Leaving Certificate in 1958. He initially trained as a psychiatric nurse and after some years working in this area retrained as a teacher. Clohessy started work at St Augustine's School in 1969, becoming principal in the mid-1970s. Mr Kennedy said his client served in roles on the provisional leadership team and was appointed in 1993 to lead a mission in Malawi to develop mental health services there, where he remained until 2013, when he returned to Ireland. Mr Kennedy asked the court to take into account his client will find custody more difficult due to his age and health issues.
The Journal
27-05-2025
- The Journal
Woman whose former husband sexually abused their young daughter pleads guilty to child cruelty
A WOMAN WHOSE former husband subjected their young daughter from the age of three onwards to a litany of sexual abuse including rape on an almost daily basis pleaded guilty at a sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court today to cruelty to a child contrary to the Childrens' Act 1908. The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty on an amended indictment before a jury at Castlebar Courthouse to two sample charges that she exposed her child to assault, ill-treatment and neglect in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health. The mother's ex husband is currently serving an eighteen year prison sentence for the offences. The offences were committed at addresses in the west of Ireland between 3 January 1995 and 31 December 1995, and January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000. Garda Inspector Thomasina McHale, responding to prosecuting counsel Patricia McLaughlin S.C., told the court that the investigation into the victim's mother was secondary to an extensive historical sexual abuse allegation involving the victim's father. Inspector McHale said the abuse against the victim between 1988 and 2001, when she was aged between three and sixteen, included touching her genitals, digital penetration, penetration with objects including vibrators, a candle and the handle of a hairbrush. Advertisement 'It happened on a daily basis,' the officer stated. 'It happened in multiple rooms in the house, frequently in the bathroom, the sitting room, her parents' bedroom, her bedroom and in the car as well'. Defence counsel Desmond Dockery S.C. told the court the accused was pleading guilty to two counts on a full facts basis of wilfully exposing a child to ill treatment in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury. She was not pleading to sexual assault or physical ill treatment (of the victim) nor was she accused of that. Counsel added that she was not pleading to having knowledge of the depth, extent and depravity and nature of the abuse committed although there were signs and reasons for her to suspect that her daughter had been subject to some inappropriate attention. Ms McLaughlin, prosecuting counsel, said it was not the prosecution case that the accused witnessed all of the actual acts that were happening but it was certainly the prosecution's case that the acts were happening at such a frequency and in multiple rooms in the house on a daily basis that she certainly knew that something was happening to her daughter. Remanding the accused on continuing bail, Judge Sinead McMullan put back sentencing until October for mention. The judge acceded to a request from Mr. Dockery for psychological assessment for the accused as well a Probation Report 'given the peculiar nature of the case', in the words of the senior counsel. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
