Man refused bail over alleged fraud

by Paul Higgins

An alleged fraudster accused of duping £16,000 from a woman in a financial investment scheme has been refused bail.

Appearing at Lisburn Magistrates Court via videolink from police custody, 62-year-old John Kelleher was charged with a single count of fraud.

Kelleher, listed as no fixed abode but who was arrested in Wales at the weekend, faces a charge of fraud by false representation, between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2017, in that he “obtained £16135 by fraud with the intention, by making the representation, to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to the complainant or to expose her to a risk of loss.”

Giving evidence to the court, DC Jackson said he believed he could connect Kelleher to the charge and that police had objections to bail due to fears the alleged fraudster would abscond or commit fury her offences.

He told the court how the alleged fraud related to financial investments where Kelleher was given the money to invest but following from that, “no documentation was given and there was no correspondence at all.”

The investigation started in May 2017 said the officer, adding that he had spoken to Kelleher “several times but he refused to produce himself.”

The court heard that Kelleher was subject to a European Arrest Warrant.

With no solicitor instructed, Kelleher represented himself and asked Deputy District Judge Liam McStay to allow him “a couple of weeks” to find a lawyer and to “adjourn the case to Cardiff.”

Refusing to free Kelleher, DDJ McStay said his arguments were not “sufficient for me to grant bail” so he was refusing bail on the grounds nod the risk of further offences being committed “and flight risks.”

Remanding Kelleher into custody to appear at Craigavon Magistrates Court via videolink on 18 September, the judge told the alleged conman “you would be well advised to get on to a solicitor as soon as possible.”