Custodial sentence 'inevitable' for former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey, Judge tells court

A custodial sentence is “inevitable” for Kilkenny hurling star DJ Carey after he pleaded guilty to defrauding 13 people by pretending he had cancer and looking for financial support for treatment in the US, the judge hearing the case said on Friday.

The 54-year-old, with an address of The Drive, Newtown, Maynooth, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty last July to charges. He had been due to stand trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The Kilkenny native had been due to be sentenced on Wednesday but a sick note was handed into the court by defence counsel and Judge Martin Nolan was told that Carey was not present.

Judge Nolan said victims may "feel foolish and taken advantage of” but added that they were good people.

He said he will also take into account the victim impact statements when passing sentence next Monday at 1pm.

Carey was remanded in custody until Monday.

He pleaded guilty to 10 of the 21 counts he was facing, which include dishonestly inducing people to pay him money after he falsely claimed to have cancer.

Thirteen named people fell victim to the claims, which occurred between 2014 and 2022. The court is taking into consideration 10 other related cases.

The court was informed that businessman Denis O’Brien is one of the named individuals who gave him money to pay for cancer treatment on unknown dates between January 2014 and September 2022, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences Act).

He gave Carey more than €130,00 in total. This was never repaid.

Some of the other well-known people he received money from include former Clare hurler Tony Griffin and publican Noel Tynan, who owns the Celt Bar on Talbot Street in Dublin city centre.

Tom Brennan, a businessman from Co Laois, was also named as one of Carey’s victims. Mr Brennan provided a total of €120,000 to him in two tranches, one for €40,000 and another for €80,000.

The court was informed that Carey became friends with Mr O’Brien in 1997 following a golf trip in South Africa.

Seventeen years later, in 2014, Carey approached the billionaire seeking financial help, alleging he had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

He said he needed to travel to America for special treatment, which would be covered due to his status as an "elite" handball athlete.

Mr O’Brien’s accountant transferred significant sums of money to the Kilkenny man.

Carey said he was having difficulties with AIB due to his debts, and Mr O'Brien arranged to help him with this. Carey detailed the same story of being in trouble with AIB to other victims.

The court heard victim impact statements and submissions on behalf of the prosecution and defence.

Prosecution barrister Dominic McGinn SC outlined to the court that an injured party made contact with gardaí, alleging they had been deceived by Carey.

Money was given to him as they understood Carey needed treatment for a certain illness. Gardaí were contacted about the matter and they sought access to the Kilkenny man’s bank accounts.

Mr McGinn SC said gardaí acquired passport records for Carey, which showed the last time he travelled to the US was 2015, and Homeland Security corroborated this.

Gardaí also searched the notes section of his mobile phone. Information for a 2016 letter purporting to be from Fred Hutchinson Hospital in Seattle in the US was on it. The hospital confirmed to gardaí that they had no record of a patient called DJ Carey.

Colman Cody SC, defence counsel for Carey, detailed his client’s offending as "planned" and "calculated" and to people who were known to him.

Carey’s position, he added, is now one where he has suffered a "stunning fall from grace".

The total amount of money involved is €394,127; €44,000 has been repaid, meaning €349,000 remains outstanding.

Two of the victims gave victim impact statements, including Mr O’Brien.

Mr O’Brien revealed that, “DJ Carey came back to me time and time again over a number of years. He took advantage of my friendship,” continuing that Carey was "extraordinarily deceitful".

Defence Counsel informed the court last July that while Carey did not have cancer, he did have "genuinely significant" health issues and required heart surgery last year.

A psychological report was also asked to be prepared ahead of today’s sentencing.

Carey has been on bail in advance of the hearing with strict conditions attached.