Ex-rugby player Brendan Mullin gets three years in prison for bank theft of €570,000

Former international rugby player Brendan Mullin has been jailed for three years after stealing more than €570,000 (£475,602) from the Bank of Ireland Private Bank.

Mullin had pleaded not guilty to stealing the money from 2011 and 2013, when he was the bank’s CEO.

The 61-year-old also pleaded not guilty to false accounting charges.

Earlier in November, a jury found him guilty of 12 of 14 charges, and the court was told he accepted the jury’s decision.

The trial heard Mullin stole €500,000 (£417,193) from Bank of Ireland amid a communications breakdown within the banking group’s arms, with the money transferred to Spice Holdings.

The company, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands, was a client Mullin brought to the bank, the court heard.

The trial heard allegations that Mullin arranged for the bank to pay money to McCann Fitzgerald lawyers, Beechwood accountants and Grant Thornton for work done for him personally or for his firm, Quantum Investment Strategies.

The judge said Mullin was in “a position of trust and power” when he stole from the bank.

The judge noted that Mullin did not present a motive, but he could only conclude that Mullin “was somewhat desperate for money and embarked on this effort to obtain money.”

The judge took into account a number of mitigating factors, including the fact that the Bank of Ireland Private Bank repaid the money in full and did not suffer a loss.

He also noted that there had been significant delays in bringing the case.

The judge said he was “remorseful and remorseful” for his actions.

However, the judge said a prison sentence was unavoidable as he had imposed a three-year prison sentence.

The judge instructed the jury to return a not guilty verdict on a new charge of deception, in which Mullin had induced two bank employees to sign a payment authorization letter.