Longford man facing deception trial over alleged scam faces additional charge

A Longford town man will face trial over an alleged scam where he is accused of defrauding multiple alleged victims into giving him tens of thousands of euro for 'unbuilt' sheds and also has been accused of swindling another victim out of a further €10,000.

Trevor Fitzgerald (45), of Teffia Park, Longford, appeared at Longford District Court on Tuesday charged with inducing his alleged victim into making a cash payment of €10,000 for a deposit for a shed which was described as being 'never completed'.

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Sergeant Enda Daly said the defendant faces a further deception charge which Judge Bernadette Owens heard is allegedly related to an incident on August 28, 2021 at Fabrication Works, Cartrongeeragh Business Park, Athlone Road, Longford.

Sergeant Daly stated the defendant's latest charge is in addition to the six charges under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 he appeared in court in connection with five weeks earlier.

The court heard those six alleged offences are said to have occurred at various locations in Longford between December 2021 and October 2023.

The defendant allegedly induced the three people to conduct bank transfers at Permanent TSB in Longford and pay various deposits for sheds on days between December 2021 and three dates spanning January to August 2022.

The three victims allegedly lost out on a total of over €25,000.

Three further charges allege that Mr Fitzgerald defrauded two men and a woman and they suffered losses of €16,500 after they made cash and cheque deposit payments between June 2022 and May 2023 for 'unbuilt' sheds.

It is alleged that the total amount the victims were defrauded out of was €42,000 and the offences occurred at Catrongeeragh Business Park and Fabrication Works on the Athlone Road and at Stewarts Garage, Sligo Road, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Sgt Daly said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that Mr Fitzgerald should stand trial in connection with the new charge as had been previously ruled in relation to the six previous charges.

Sgt Daly addressed Judge Owens and said the State would not object to bail if Mr Fitzgerald agreed to follow and abide by several conditions which included living at his home address, signing on twice weekly at Longford Garda Station and remain contactable on his mobile phone at all times.

Judge Bernadette Owens heard Mr Fitzgerald had already surrendered his passport following a previous appearance last month and given an undertaking not to apply for a duplicate passport or any other travel documents.

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Judge Owens remanded Mr Fitzgerald on bail to a sitting of Longford District Court for the serving of the book of evidence on September 9.