A judge has decided not to jail a Dublin man who stole thousands of euro from a charity he set up to send sick children to Lapland.
John Cornelius Murphy, of Church Road in Killiney, was handed a fully suspended sentence on condition he does not go fundraising for the next three years.
In 2010, Murphy lodged four cheques totalling €18,643 from the Children to Lapland Appeal into his own personal account.
He set the charity up in 1987, but it was liquidated in 2012.
During his sentence hearing, it emerged he is now running the 'Make It Happen' foundation - a charity that sends sick children on day trips around Ireland.
Today, the court heard two of its directors have distanced themselves from it because of concerns over the way its finances are being handled.
His barrister claimed John, or Con as he is otherwise known, does not have access to that charity's bank account.
Judge Patrick McCartan said he had grave misgivings about his continued behaviour and ordered him not to engage in charity fundraising for the next three years.
Murphy was also instructed to pay half of the money he stole to the Barretstown children's charity, and the rest to the Children's Hospital in Crumlin.
