Travel agent will not be sentenced until September

Travel agent will not be sentenced until September

26 June 2013

A DOWNPATRICK travel agent who defrauded dozens of clients out of tens of thousands of pounds will be sentenced in September.

Forty year-old Kathy Ward faces 33 charges of fraud by abuse of position, 28 counts of fraud by false representation, 18 counts of theft and one count of forgery.

These charges relate to incidents between March 3, 2009 and February 10, 2010 at La Mon Travel Limited, which was based at St. Patrick’s Avenue, Downpatrick.

The co-defendant, 47-year-old William Mark McConkey, has been charged with five counts of fraud by false representation and two counts of theft.

Both Ward and McConkey reside at the same Tollymore Brae, Newcastle, address.

A plea and sentence hearing was scheduled to take place on last Wednesday at Downpatrick Crown Court, but the matter has been adjourned to September 13.

His Honour Judge Fowler QC said that he was adjourning the case because he was in the middle of hearing a trial that was due to last until the end of the Crown Court term.

He had also considered hearing the matter in Belfast Crown Court during the summer months, but decided against this because it would mean more travel for some members of the public who wished to attend the sentencing.

A prosecution lawyer said that the adjournment would also give the prosecution time to consider the financial accountant’s report in the case.