Man took part in rent deposit scam

A man from Carndonagh, County Donegal, has pleaded guilty to involvement in a rental deposit fraud at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Robert Long, aged 32, admitted six counts of theft and two counts of deception relating to a scheme that defrauded six prospective tenants of approximately €11,000 between July and August 2017. The scam centred on an apartment at Longboat Quay, Grand Canal Dock, which Long did not have authority to rent. He acted as the sitting tenant while an unidentified accomplice, known to victims as Jack Lyndsey, posed as the landlord and collected deposits from people who responded to online advertisements. Long has no previous convictions and made €10,700 available to fully compensate the victims. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Long was not the primary instigator and derived no financial benefit from the enterprise. Sentencing has been adjourned to October 29th pending a Probation Service report and assessment for suitability for community service. Long was remanded on continuing bail.