A man described as the "poster boy for the worst excesses of the Celtic Tiger" has lost an appeal against his seven year sentence for deception and theft.

Breifne O'Brien - of Kilmore, Monkstown Grove in Dublin - tricked people into handing over millions of euro for bogus property deals.

The 52-year-old used the money to pay for an extension to his house, a new car for his wife and stamp duty on new properties.

His lawyers claimed the sentencing judge did not give him enough credit for mitigating factors and did not adequately address the public interest in rehabilitating him.

However, the Court of Appeal dismissed his arguments today and ruled that while the substantial sentence handed down was the correct one.

Newstalk.com's courts correspondent Frank Greaney was there.