LAST UPDATE | 2 Jul

FORMER KILKENNY HURLER DJ Carey has pleaded guilty to ten counts of fraud at a Dublin court.

The trial of the 54-year-old, with an address of The Drive, Newtown, Maynooth, Co Kildare, had been expected to last three to four weeks before he pleaded guilty to a number of the accusations this morning at the Circuit Court in the Criminal Courts of Justice.

He pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing people to pay him money after he fraudulently claimed to have cancer and needed finances for treatment.

Judge Patricia Ryan said sentencing would take place on 29 October.

Billionaire Denis O’Brien is among the people ex-hurling star DJ Carey plead guilty to fraudulently inducing people to pay him money for cancer treatment.

Among the others he is charged with inducing to make payments to him for fraudulent cancer treatment are Aidan Mulligan, between June and September 2022; Christy Browne, between September and October 2022; Thomas Butler, between October 2019 and November 2022; Jeffrey Howes, between February 1 2022 and August 8 2022; Noel Tynan, between January 1 2017 and October 2022, and Edwin Carey, between December 21 2021 and November 12 2022.

Carey’s solicitor Edward Hughes told the court today that he has “genuinely significant health issues” and has had surgery carried out for a heart condition.

He also has “certain mental health issues” and Hughes asked that a psychological report be done ahead of sentencing later this year.

Carey is regarded as one of the greatest hurlers to have played the game, winning five All-Ireland senior medals with Kilkenny, once as captain.

He was named Hurler of the Year in 2000, while he won nine All-Star awards. Since retiring from play, he has managed the Kilkenny U21 hurlers and was a selector for the county senior team.

With reporting by PA