John Murphy (69), also known as Con Murphy, had pleaded not guilty to four counts of theft from The Children to Lapland Appeal between June and July 2010 totalling €18,643. He also operated United Travel, a travel agent based in Stillorgan, before it went out of business in 2012. ‘Honest belief’He moved to appeal his conviction on the main ground that the trial judge deprived the jury of the opportunity to consider the defence of “honest belief”. Counsel submitted that the trial judge, on four occasions in his instructions to the jury, stated there was no defence for them to consider. President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy reserved judgment.

Source: The Irish Times February 04, 2019 15:00 UTC