Former football coach jailed for stealing club cash

Former football coach jailed for stealing club cash
By Conor Gallagher and Allison Bray

A FORMER football team youth manager was jailed for six years yesterday after pleading guilty to stealing close to €10,000 raised by the team and possessing almost €1m worth of cocaine to fuel his gambling addiction.

Mark Touhey (28), of Cedar Grove, Clonsilla, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to five counts of theft totalling €9,750 from Bohemians Football Club between August 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008.

Officials from the club declined to comment last night.

The court heard that the club's former youth team manager -- described as "a borderline pathological gambler"-- stole deposits paid by the youth team for a trip to Marbella, Spain, which they had raised by packing grocery bags and holding a race night which he organised.

The trip, which he also helped organise, was later cancelled. But instead of returning the €2,550 they raised, he used the money to gamble, the court heard.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing €949,550 worth of cocaine for sale or supply at Woodvale Drive, Clonsilla, on November 5, 2009.

Garda Andy Reynolds testified that he searched a room Mr Touhey was renting in November, 2009, after receiving a tip-off.

Noting that it was his gambling addiction that fuelled "the thirst for money", Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six years in prison.

- Conor Gallagher and Allison Bray

Irish Independent