Console fraud widow to be sentenced in February

By Eimear Dodd

The widow of the late founder of suicide prevention charity Console will be sentenced in February after she pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to keep the books of account as a director of the company.

Patricia Kelly (61) of Alexandra Manor, Clane, Co Kildare, is the widow of the charity’s former chief executive, the late Paul Kelly.

She pleaded guilty today before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of failing to keep books of account, as a director of a company, contrary to the Companies Act, 1990.

Ms Kelly entered a guilty plea before Judge Patricia Ryan to the charge that she did, other than wilfully, failed to keep proper books of account as required, whether in paper documents or otherwise, of Console Suicide Bereavement Counselling, that correctly record and explain the transactions of the company that at any time enabled the financial position of the company to be determined with reasonable accuracy, and enable the directors to ensure any annual accounts of the company are compiled within the requirements of the Companies Act and to enable the annual accounts of the company to be readily and properly audited.

The offence occurred within the State on dates between December 6, 2006, and May 21, 2015.

Ms Kelly had been due to go on trial next month, with the case expected to last up to ten weeks.

The case was initially adjourned to February 20 next for sentence and Ms Kelly was remanded on bail until that date.

The sentence date was later amended to February 22, 2024