The sentencing of former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey, who was due to be sentenced today for defrauding people by pretending he had cancer and seeking money for treatment, has been adjourned until Friday after the court was told he was in hospital.
Carey, with an address at Newtown, Maynooth in Co Kildare, pleaded guilty last July before he was due to stand trial. He admitted ten counts of dishonestly inducing people to pay him money after he falsely claimed to have cancer.
The offences occurred between 2014 and 2022 and involve 13 named people, including businessman Denis O'Brien.
This morning when the case was called, Judge Martin Nolan was told that Carey was not present and his barrister handed in a sick note to the judge.
Prosecuting Counsel Dominic McGinn said he had just received a photocopy of the medical letter, which said Carey was in Portiuncula Hospital.
Mr McGinn said gardaí had received information yesterday. He said they had called the hospital and were told yesterday that Carey was not an inpatient.
After further inquiries the court was told that Carey went into an emergency department on Monday but was not kept there.
Prosecuting lawyers said gardaí had been told that he was now back in hospital. He had not been detained but was waiting for a bed.
Defence Counsel Colman Cody said his solicitor had spoken to a nurse who said Carey was waiting for a consultation with a consultant but the nurse was not able to provide information about why he was in hospital.
Mr Cody said Carey had a history of health issues and had surgery last year for a heart condition and he was surmising that was the reason he was in hospital.
Judge Martin Nolan said he would sentence him on Friday.
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The sentence hearing is expected to take around an hour-and-a-half and may hear victim impact evidence from some of those who gave money to Carey for cancer treatment that never happened.
Carey has been on bail in advance of the hearing.
