Kilkenny fraudster appeals conviction on grounds of severity

A hurling coach and convicted fraudster has lodged an appeal against the severity of a sentence which was imposed in Kilkenny Circuit Court in March.

James Meagher, Graigueswood, Freshford, Kilkenny was convicted of one count of fraudulently taking €41,000 from  the injured party contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, with seven others taken into consideration.  

Judge Elva Duffy imposed a two year sentence at Kilkenny Circuit Court on March 22 and suspended the final 18 months.

Judge Duffy took seven charges into consideration when sentencing Meagher and agreed to postpone the activation of his prison sentence until June 1.

Meagher lodged the appeal against severity on April 18 and it has not appeared in court yet.

Meagher is well known in GAA circles and has coached the Kilkenny minor hurling team and was part of this year’s All-Ireland club championship-winning Ballyhale Shamrocks coaching team.

In April 2019 the injured party transferred an initial payment of €10,000 and made subsequent payments over the following months believing that he was investing in a sliotar business, which turned to be non existent.

The victim said in his victim impact statement that he ‘grew up with a hurl in his hand’ and that his ‘self-esteem has been shattered’ as a result of the fraud.