Former multiple All-Ireland winner faces trial over £1.2m in criminal assets
Crossmaglen All-Ireland winning hero and his company accused under Proceeds of Crime Act
Cathal Short playing for Crossmaglen Rangers
An All-Ireland club winning legend and his business support firm have been accused of converting £1.2m of criminal property.
Cathal Short (48) won four national titles during his football career as a half-forward with Crossmaglen Rangers.
But he and his firm, C Short Ltd, face trial next year accused of converting £1,118,520 “or thereabouts” in breach of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022.
The company is alleged to have known or suspected the sum constituted or represented benefit from criminal conduct with the offending said to have taken place between the summer of 2010 and March 2012.
Short enjoyed an outstanding GAA career, winning 13 consecutive Armagh Senior Football Championships, seven Ulster Senior Club Football Championships and four All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championships between 1996 and 2008.
C Short Ltd, registered at The Crescent in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was incorporated in 2007.
Short is both the secretary and the only current director of the firm. In Companies House records Short lists his occupations as salesman and consultant.
In September C Short Ltd posted accounts showing net assets of £276,586 for the year the ending December 31, 2022.
The criminal property offence is alleged to have been committed by the company between June 9, 2010 and March 20, 2012 and has been brought under Section 327 of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The case against the firm was up for mention at Belfast Crown Court earlier this month.
It is set to be reviewed in March next year, with a possible trial set for April 12.
Short, also of The Crescent, Crossmaglen, faced exactly the same converting criminal property charge involving the same sum and the same date at Belfast Crown Court in February this year.
The case against the company was subsequently listed by prosecutors.
Section 327 of the Proceeds of Crime Act concerns concealing, disguising, converting, transferring and removing criminal property from a UK jurisdiction.
According to the Act, one offence is committed whether all, some, or just one, of the above actions take place in relation to the same property.
Short and his firm are accused of converting.
A person convicted of an offence under this section is liable to imprisonment for up to 14 years, a fine, or both.
