IVOR CALLELY JAILED FOR 5 MONTHS OVER BOGUS EXPENSES CLAIMS
Former junior minister Ivor Callely has been jailed for 5 months for making bogus mobile phone expenses claims.
Judge Mary Ellen Ring has found that not only did the 56 year old break the law he breached the trust the public had placed in him.
Ivor Callely appeared to be praying for much of today’s hearing as his lawyers argued for the judge to show maximum leniency.
But Judge Mary Ellen Ring found the former senator’s abuse of the mobile phone expenses system at Leinster House was not just a simple mistake or a case of stretching the boundaries
She said while politicians are not expected to be super human, the 56 year old broke the law and breached the trust the public had placed in him.
The court heard he received over 4,000 euro in phone expenses between 2007 and 2009 after he submitted 6 fake invoices.
She found a custodial sentence was required in the public interest – but that the fact of the sentence was as important as its duration.
Judge Ring imposed a 5 months sentence on Ivor Callely.
