GARDAÍ are seeking to arrest a serial debtor who is facing a possible jail term after she was convicted of 35 counts of animal cruelty involving dozens of thoroughbred horses, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Catherine O’Brien, who is the focus of several Garda investigations, was convicted in abstentia after she failed to appear before Gorey District Court on Wednesday. This week’s hearing is the third time in recent months Ms O’Brien has failed to show up in court to face charges relating to the seizure of dozens of malnourished horses in Co. Wexford in the summer of 2019.
The seizure, which made national headlines, sparked a major Garda and Department of Agriculture investigation and the emaciated horses were taken into care.
At the time of the seizure – at a small stable yard in Ballywater, Ballygarrett, near Gorey – neighbours told the MoS that the distress of some of the horses was evident.
This week the court heard Ms O’Brien could not attend her hearing because she was in hospital.
No evidence of this was presented to the court.
The case had already been adjourned on two previous occasions in recent months when Ms O’Brien failed to attend for other reasons.
This time, though, Judge Brian O’Shea proceeded to hear the case and evidence of animal cruelty was outlined by several witnesses.
These included a representative from the Irish Horse Welfare Trust which looked after the seized horses, a Department of Agriculture vet and an inspector from the Wexford Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Afterwards Ms O’Brien was convicted of all 35 counts of causing or permitting unnecessary suffering or neglect contrary to section 12(1) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
Issuing a bench warrant for Ms O’Brien’s arrest, Judge O’Shea said he would await her detention before passing sentence though he indicated a custodial term was likely.
Those found guilty of an offence under the Health and Welfare Act 2013 are liable to fines of up to €250,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both.
The Act also allows for those responsible for cruelty to be charged for the costs incurred by the authorities during the ‘investigation, detection and prosecution’ of any offence.
In addition, the Act allows a judge to issue an order disqualifying a convicted person from ‘owning, having any interest in, keeping, dealing in or having charge or control, directly or indirectly, of an animal.’
Originally from Buttevant, in Co. Cork, Ms O’Brien has for years lived at an address in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
In recent weeks she has not been seen at this address.
Ms O’Brien has frequently come to the attention of the authorities.
She is the focus of multiple Garda investigations relating to the equine sector.
She has also come to the attention of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in relation to the alleged proceeds of crime.
This week’s conviction is the first time Ms O’Brien has been found guilty of any crime, although 20 financial judgments have been granted over the years to creditors owed hundreds of thousands.
At one point in 2008 Ms O’Brien’s credit rating was worse than that of rogue solicitor Michael Lynn – who was at the time on the run with €80m in funds missing.
Ms O’Brien was so notorious that a number of credit unions in the south and southeast circulated her picture – taken from CCTV footage in the premises – warning staff not to give her any loans.
Bank of Ireland granted her a loan of €738,000 in 2008. This was despite the bank having previously secured four court judgments against her for non-payment of previous loans.
The bank later discovered that the land pledged in return for the finance was a near worthless bog.
In repeated phone calls with the MoS at the time of the 2019 seizure Ms O’Brien initially spoke at length about the horses in her care and denied they had been neglected. Later she declined to speak further on the issue.
Attempts to contact Ms O’Brien this week were unsuccessful. Calls and texts to her phone were not returned.
