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Nursing home manager jailed for stealing €45k from patient
Summary
A former nursing home manager has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €45,000 from a vulnerable patient. Maeve Bell, formerly of Inniskeen, County Monaghan, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft committed between July 2013 and October 2014 while employed as clinical manager at Elmhurst nursing home in Glasnevin, Dublin. Bell misappropriated funds from the resident's comfort account by making unauthorised withdrawal requests and, on several occasions, using the patient's bank card to withdraw cash. The thefts, ranging from €600 to €1,800 per occasion, totalled €38,000 from the nursing home account and €7,000 from a Bank of Ireland account. The offences came to light when the resident raised concerns about depleted account funds. Judge Martin Nolan noted Bell acted under financial hardship but emphasised the abuse of her position of authority. He expressed concern that the resident remained uncompensated and suggested gardai refer the matter to the relevant Ombudsman.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Nursing home manager jailed for stealing €45k from patient. Charges or matters: 15 counts of stealing money at Highfield nursing home on various dates between July 2013 and October 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 2013 Other
- October 2014 Other
- 2016-10-26 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: 15 counts of stealing money at Highfield nursing home on various dates between July 2013 and October 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He said that while Bell was a very sympathetic character and had a very difficult life he had to impose a jail sentence. "She was in a position of almost total power," he said, adding that it is a fact of modern living that a lot of people were in the vulnerable position of the victim.
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