A Dublin man has launched an appeal against his conviction for stealing thousands of euro from a charity for sick children.
John Murphy of Church Road in Killiney avoided jail after being found guilty of stealing from the Children to Lapland Appeal which he had founded.
68-year-old John Murphy also known as Cornelius or Con was convicted in 2016 of stealing more than €18,000 from the charity he founded – which sent terminally ill children to see Santa in Lapland.
The Children to Lapland Appeal was set it up in 1987 and he used his travel agency to fly the children to see Santa – but it’s since gone into liquidation.
Mr Murphy had denied allegations of transferring money from the charity into his personal account saying he often used that account for business.
He received a three year suspended sentence and was also banned from fundraising for three years.
John Murphy has now launched an appeal against this conviction with his barrister pointing to comments said by the trial Judge to the jury in relation to his personal and business bank accounts.
The three judges of the Court of Appeal will hand down their decision on a later date.
