Former Adam Clayton Assistant Found Guilty

Following a three week court case, at which the U2 bassist himself gave evidence, the jury deliberated for five hours before coming to their verdict.

The court heard evidence that Ms.Hawkins was a signatory on cheques for Adam Clayton. She worked for him over a period of 13 years, and for a long time lived with her husband in Danesmoate – the house in Rathfarnham, owned by Adam Clayton, where U2 recorded much of their biggest selling album The Joshua Tree.

In 2008, Hawkins confessed to Adam Clayton that she had spent €15,325 on items for herself. Having looked into the matter, Clayton allowed her to continue in his employment but instructed the bank through his accountants that she was no longer to be a signatory on his accounts. Later, however, it emerged that she had been systematically engaged in the misuse of money from his bank accounts.

In total, between 2004 and 2008, Carol Hawkins transferred €1.1 million from the Danesmoate account and €1.7 million from a second account, designated as the Fitzwilliam account, to three bank and credit card accounts of her own. The court heard that she had been living a double life – and that in addition to engaging in various shopping sprees, she had purchased an apartment in New York, as well as running a stable with 22 horses, which she had kept secret from Adam Clayton.

The trial judge Pat McCartan will sentence Ms.Hawkins on July 6.