Judge Charged, Judge others as you expect them to judge you

A district court judge is to face trial accused of deceiving an elderly couple into putting two of her own children into their will.




Judge Heather Perrin (60) — who was appointed to the Dublin metropolitan district court bench in February 2009 — after practising as a solicitor for 26 years, was arrested today following an investigation launched in December, 2009.



At 2.54 pm, the judge was arrested by appointment by detectives from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, at her home at Lambay Court, Malahide, in Dublin.



Judge Perrin was then taken to Clontarf Garda station and charged with two counts under Section Six of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act.



The charges allege that at her former solicitor’s practice, at Fairview Strand, in Dublin 3, she “with intention of making a gain to another or cause a loss to another induced” Thomas Davis and Ada Davis, to each bequeath their halves of their residual estates to Sybil and Adam Perrin, on January 22, 2009.



She was brought in Garda custody to Dublin District Court this evening. Det-Sergeant Patrick Linehan told presiding Judge David McHugh that on arrest the defendant was cautioned and told that if she had anything to say “it will be taken down and used in evidence”.



After caution, “she made no reply to both charges.”



Det-Sgt Linehan had no objection to bail being granted to the defendant, who remained seated and silent during the brief proceedings.



State solicitor Catherine Irvine told Judge McHugh: “The DPP has directed trial on indictment in respect of both charges.”



The book of evidence in the case had been completed and it was then served on the defendant by Det-Sgt Linehan.



Judge McHugh told the accused: “I am sending this matter forward to the present sittings of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges one and two as contained in the book of evidence.”



Judge McHugh also notified her that if she intended to rely on an alibi as part of her defence she must furnish the details to the State within 14 days.



He then remanded her on bail in her own bond of €1,000 pending her trial.