Galway Bay fm newsroom - A former Galway solicitor has been sentenced to two years in prison for deception and false accounting.
56 year old Michael Small of Oranmore is being jailed for giving undertakings to a mortgage company to purchase properties that were never bought.
In December, Mr Small pleaded guilty to a deception inducing a woman to issue loan funds with the intention of making a gain for himself or another.
Yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 56 year old Michael Small, of Renville, Oranmore, to two years in prison.
Mr Small gave undertakings to a lending institution to purchase properties stated in the clients' mortgage applications.
The court heard the money was drawn down into an account but the properties, valued at over €1m, were not purchased.
Mr Small entered guilty pleas at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in December to counts of deception and false accounting on dates between 2008 and 2009.
Judge Martin Nolan said Small had misrepresented to a lending institution and he also noted that Small had misled his accountant, giving rise to the false accounting charges.
Judge Nolan said he accepted Small did not benefit to a great degree from these crimes but he was the principal cause and the offences could not have occurred without his involvement.
The judge took into account his guilt plea, co-operation and admissions to gardai, also noting he was unlikely to reoffend.
He said by reason of failing to comply with his undertaking, Small deserved a term of imprisonment and imposed a two year sentence.
He granted an application to adjourn the sentence to Thursday next for Small to be taken into custody then.
