Former Irish sport star DJ Carey has been convicted after scamming more than 20 people out of over £350,000 ($800,000 NZD) by faking cancer with an iPhone accessory.

The 54 year old - who was considered a legend of hurling for Kilkenny - pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud last friday at The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after claiming he needed money for cancer treatment in the US.

He was sentenced to five-and-a-half-years in prison for his fraudulent claims and acceptance of money from people's "good nature".

An image obtained by Irish Daily Mail shows Carey appearing in bed with darkened under eyes and an 'oxygen tube' up his nose.

The white cord has since been revealed as a bloody iPhone charger... seriously.

Between 2014 and 2022, Carey tricked 22 people into funding his 'cancer treatment', including an Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien, who reportedly gave him more than £100,000 ($230,000) to cover travel and accommodation costs.

The Irish Times reports, Judge Martin Nolan told Carey he “exploited the good nature of people” and called the victims “good-hearted people who wanted to help a person in need.”

All parties must have looked in the mirror and thought ‘how foolish I am’, but what Carey had done was that he had exploited them for being good people.

Judge Nolan said it was “very hard to know what motivated Mr Carey" and "on his release from prison, he will probably have a tough life."

Carey has repaid about £38,500 ($87,000), but the judge added that his “good name will probably never recover.”