Couple accused of stealing € 130,000 from Virgin Media

A Virgin Media Television PAYROLL MANAGER has been charged with theft of € 130,000 from the station.

Kellie Walton (39) of Kilfenora Road, Dublin 12 had previously been charged with theft of € 64,509 in cash, owned by TV3 / Virgin Media Television, on a date in 2018.

She is also accused of stealing € 70,614 last year from the Westgate Business Park television station, Ballymount, Dublin 12.

The co-defendant, John Murray (39) who has the same address, is accused of handling the same amounts at a Bank of Ireland branch in Dublin.

His case returned to the Dublin District Court today.

However, they did not have to attend due to the court’s covid-19 injunctions.

Gardai Investigative Detective John Tuthill and David Jennings were present and waited longer for instructions from the DPP.

Detective Garda Jennings told Judge Bryan Smyth that the COVID crisis had caused delays in obtaining documents from banks and businesses, as staff worked from home.

Defense attorney Luke Staines said the matter will clearly go to Circuit Court. He said the case started in March and the file would only reach the DPP now.

He asked Judge Smyth to consider the question of jurisdiction in relation to the venue of the trial.

Judge Smyth said there was an explanation for the garda and that it was reasonable given the circumstances of the past eight months.

Detective Garda Jennings also told the court that the investigation dates back to a 10-year period, from 2009 to 2019. It involved bank accounts, including one in the UK. He also described the case file as huge.

Staines noted that the charges were related to 2018 and last year, but agreed that perhaps other matters could come later.

Judge Smyth refused to set a time limit at this stage, saying it was not unreasonable for the investigating gardai to have more time to obtain instructions.

He postponed the case until next January 29. He ordered the defendants, who have not yet pleaded guilty, to bail in his absence.

The charges are subject to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Crimes) Act 2001.