A man who ran a pub on Parliament Street for a month last summer appeared at Kilkenny District Court this week charged with 12 different counts of fraud amounting to almost €14,000.
Detective Martin Power told the court on Tuesday that Mr Shane Pouch with an address of Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon presented himself at Kilkenny Garda Station that morning. He was arrested and charged with committing 12 fraud related offences in Kilkenny during a five month period from June to October last year.
Mr Pouch leased a premises formerly known as The Widows on Parliament Street and traded for a period of about one month last summer under the name P Tree Bar. The premises has since been re-leased and re-opened as Whispers pole and lap-dancing club.
Mr Pouch is alleged to have purchased an aircooler from Dunnes Stores on Kieran Street, curtains and cushions from Winstons on Parliament Street, office equipment from The Office Centre on Patrick Street, wine from The Wine Centre on John Street, the Le Caveau Wine Shop in the Market Yard and furniture from a business on Green Street. It is alleged that cheques were used as payment for the purchases and that the cheques subsequently bounced.
Mr Pouch is alleged to have hired fancy dress from Top Hat Dress Hire on the Castle Road last June and made payment by using a cheque which subsequently turned out to be fraudulent.
It is also alleged that Mr Pouch paid a courier €510, a tiler €4,000, a supplier €845, and €2,178 for logos and branding with cheques that subsequently bounced.
The defendant’s solicitor Mr Niall Gavigan told the court that his client had recently appeared at Naas Circuit Court on similar charges. He has been released on bail on condition that he resides at his home address, sign on daily at Longford Garda Station, provide an independent surety of €3,000, give his mobile phone to gardaí and inform the gardaí of any change of address. He has also surrendered his passport to gardaí.
Judge William Harnett granted bail on condition that Mr Pouch enter a bond and sign on daily at Longford Garda Station. He also ordered that the defendant notify the gardaí of any change of address and adjourned the case until December 1 when the book of evidence is expected to be served on Mr Pouch.
