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Former Ireland centre Brendan Mullin jailed for three years
By Ian Cameron
Former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing over €567,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank while serving as its managing director.
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Mullin (61), of Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4; was convicted on 12 of 14 charges following a three-week trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The offences occurred between 2011 and 2013.
The court heard that Mullin acted dishonestly by arranging for bank funds to be paid to McCann Fitzgerald solicitors, Beechwood accountants, and Grant Thornton for services carried out for him personally or for his firm, Quantum Investment Strategies. He was also found guilty of stealing €500,000 during a communication breakdown within the bank, with the money being transferred to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands and introduced to the bank by Mullin.
Sentencing, Judge Martin Nolan said Mullin was in a “position of trust and a position of power” when he stole the funds. The judge described Mullin as someone who could “sway other parties to do his will” and inferred that Mullin’s actions were driven by financial desperation.
Mitigating factors included the repayment of the stolen funds, which left the bank without financial loss, and the significant delay in bringing the case to trial. The court also noted Mullin’s acceptance of the jury’s verdicts and his expression of remorse.
Judge Nolan stated that a custodial sentence was inevitable, given the seriousness of the offences, and imposed a three-year prison term. Mullin, who remained silent during sentencing, bowed his head as the verdict was delivered.
Mullin was acquitted of two charges relating to Beechwood Partners, including the alleged theft of €6,150 and a related false accounting charge. A further deception charge was dismissed on the direction of the trial judge.
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The conviction and sentencing conclude the case against the former rugby international, who played 55 times for Ireland.
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I am saddened that this is how Brendan Mullin has ended up. I met him in the 70's as a 16 year old , when attending a trial for an Irish Schools age group sevens team. I was coaching in Ulster at the time, and we had a player in contention.
On the way back up to Belfast, he was on the train for part of the way out of Dublin, and I got to know him a bit. He told me was born in Jerusalem, lived some years there. He was now being educated at the rugby powerhouse, Blackrock College. He made that team, as did my player. His immense talent was clear at that age.
FIFA might be interested in him as CFO.....
When he’s done his time, I’m sure he could get a job at World Rugby with his credentials.
if he could add some sexual assault to his register, he might be up for a high position in the new US government ....
Was it for mischief in the rucks by any chance?