Former Irish rugby international Brendan Mullin accused of stealing €578,000

A former Ireland and British and Irish Lions rugby international has appeared in court charged with stealing more than €500,000 from Bank of Ireland.

Brendan Mullin, 57, of Stillorgan Road, Dublin, appeared before Dublin District Court.

It followed an investigation by the Garda (Irish police) National Economic Crime Bureau.

Mr Mullin faces nine counts of stealing €578,000 (£495,937) from Bank of Ireland between 2011 and 2013.

The former managing director of Bank of Ireland private banking is accused of deceiving two people to sign a payment instruction to make a gain for himself or cause a loss to another.

In court on Tuesday, Mr Mullin, who won 55 caps for Ireland between 1984 and 1995, was also charged with five counts of false accounting.

A detective told the court that Mr Mullin made no comment when informed of the charges he faced.

Mr Mullin was released on bail of his own bond of €10,000 (£8,584) and agreed to surrender his passport.

He is due back in court on 11 November.