Winner goes from Gold Cup to lock-up
KICKING KING OWNER’S 15 MONTHS’ JAIL FOR FORGERY TO PAY OFF DEBTS
A CHELTENHAM Gold Cupwinning horse owner has been jailed for 15 months for forging documents for the sale of property to pay off his bank debts.
Conor Clarkson (60), of Cairnfort, Enniskerry Road, Stepaside, Co Dublin, was found guilty of four charges of creating and using forged documents following an eight-day trial at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court earlier this month.
The married dad-of-three — who owned the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Kicking King — was acquitted of four other counts of making and using false instruments in relation to the same land deal on dates in 2014 contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
Businessman Clarkson was convicted of creating and using a forged statutory declaration and death certificate to induce another person to accept them as containing the genuine signature of Jean Duggan (78).
The documents were necessary to allow for an extension of a right of way on a lane near Ms Duggan’s home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, which was being sought by the purchaser of the land being sold by Clarkson.
The court heard the forged documents arose from the proposed sale in 2014 of land owned by Clarkson and another individual to a pension fund belonging to Cork businessman, Richard Roche.
Truck driver Paul
Wrynn (46), of
Robertstwood, Glensynge, Enniskerry, was found not guilty on two charges of creating false documents by signing them as a witness.
Verdict
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Judge Patrick Quinn asked counsel for Clarkson, Sean Gillane SC, if his client accepted the verdict of the jury.
Mr Gillane replied, “It is as it was”, meaning there was no change in Clarkson maintaining his innocence.
In evidence, Detective Sergeant Donal O’Sullivan said the documents ostensibly required to be signed by Ms Duggan were essential for the property deal to go through.
Det Sgt O’Sullivan informed the court that related civil proceedings taken by Mr Roche’s pension fund about the transaction were ongoing.
The court heard that a Garda probe began in August 2020 after Ms Duggan reported her belief that her signature had been forged on documents.
Det Sgt O’Sullivan told counsel for the DPP, James Kelly BL, that Clarkson had denied any involvement in any criminal offence to gardai after his arrest.
Sentencing Clarkson to two years in jail, Judge Quinn suspended the final nine months on condition he remain bound to the peace on release. He also backdated the sentence to February 23 when he was placed in custody.