Crossmaglen man Cathal Short admits firm converted criminal property

An All-Ireland winning former GAA footballer today (Monday) pleaded guilty on behalf of his company to it converting almost £1.2million in criminal property.

Cathal James Short, 48, of The Crescent, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was due to stand trial today along with his company C Short Ltd at Belfast Crown Court.

Before the trial was due to start, prosecution counsel Samuel Magee KC told Judge Gordon Kerr KC that there had been a “development in the case” and Mr Short as the only director of C Short Ltd would now be re-arraigned on the single count the company faced.

Standing in the dock as the sole director of the business, Mr Short replied “guilty” to the company converting criminal property.

The charge reads that between June 9, 2010 and March 20, 2012, C Short Ltd “converted £1,188,520 or thereabouts, which they knew or suspected, constituted or represented in whole or in part, benefit from criminal conduct or represented such a benefit”.

Mr Magee said there was no need for a pre-sentence report as Mr Short had pleaded guilty on behalf of his company. As the only punishment open to the court is by way of a monetary penalty, Judge Kerr said he wanted to see the company’s trading accounts ahead of sentencing next month.

Short played football with Crossmaglen Rangers as a forward and won three All Ireland Club championship medals, three Ulster Club medals while also turning out for the Armagh county team.

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