Clare Dooley sentenced for €109k life insurance fraud

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Clare Dooley received a four-year fully suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 7 December 2015, conditional on completing 240 hours’ community service within 12 months. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence after receiving a favourable probation report. The proceedings were reported on 8 December 2015.

She pleaded guilty to 10 counts of making and using false declaration forms. The offences took place at New Ireland Assurance plc, Dawson St, Dublin, and in the State between 23 November 2010 and 27 September 2011.

The sentence was suspended in full on condition that Dooley complete the community service within 12 months. However, Lorcan Staines, defending, said she was awaiting a medical certificate confirming her fitness to perform the work. Judge Martin Nolan said the suspended sentence would still stand if she was not medically fit.

The 38 fictitious life insurance policies generated €109,000 in commission. The insurance company had since been repaid, and the report said nobody was at a loss. Lorcan Staines submitted that the motive had not been permanent theft and that Dooley would ultimately not have profited from the offences. He said she and her husband had experienced severe financial difficulties following a failed business venture in 2011.