DJ Carey has been jailed for five and a half years for defrauding 22 people out of a total of almost €400,000 by pretending he needed treatment for cancer.
The five-time All-Ireland winner told Gardaí he was in a very desperate situation having “fallen into a rut” over the years.
Last week, the court heard how he swindled friends, distant family members, acquaintances and contacts he had made in sporting and business circles.
After passing sentence, the judge said he could not imagine a more 'reprehensible fraud'.
On Lunchtime Live, Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney explained that the hurling star lied to those who cared for him, claiming that he had a rare form of cancer that needed treatment in the United States.
“We now know that that was all a lie, that he had hoodwinked these individuals to hand over their money,” Frank said.
“They thought they were helping an idol of theirs, a friend of theirs, an acquaintance, a colleague, a business contact - but it was all a scam.”
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Having heard an outline of the facts, the victim impact statements and mitigation on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan took the weekend to consider the sentence.
Carey was remanded in custody and returned to court today to hear how long he could expect to stay in prison for.
“He had some stark remarks for the five time All Ireland winner before he passed on sentencing today,” Frank continued.
“He told him to stand in the dock and he told him he had taken advantage of people’s good nature and good will towards him.
“He told him he exploited the good nature of others and the good will be accumulated by reason of the fact that he was well known and that he had been an outstanding personality.
“He said criminals appeal to the weaknesses of human beings and when it comes to fraud, most fraudsters seek to exploit a person’s greed – but that wasn’t the case with DJ Carey.
“He said that he exploited the good nature of his victims.”
While Judge Nolan read his remarks, Carey stood in the dock, listening intently with his hands folded in front of him, wearing the same suit he had worn on Friday.
He gave little reaction after learning he had been sentenced to five and a half years behind bars.
Main image: Former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey arrives at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. Picture by: RollingNews.ie.
