Courts / Dublin / Report

Mother of five avoids jail for benefits fraud

Date
2017-02-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Jane Fay, 64, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for social welfare fraud. The defendant pleaded guilty to making a fraudulent claim at AIB, Main Street, Tallaght, on April 22, 2010, and admitted to 38 similar charges related to fraudulent claims made between April 2010 and September 2014. The total loss amounted to €34,781. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three-year sentence, which was suspended in full. The court noted that the majority of the funds have been repaid, with over €22,000 returned by Fay and her family, and ordered the release of frozen funds from a bank account in the name of her late cousin to the Department of Social Protection. Fay had no previous convictions. The judge acknowledged Fay's difficult personal circumstances, including health issues and family tragedies, and accepted that her actions were at odds with her general conduct. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the suspended sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mother of five avoids jail for benefits fraud. Charges or matters: making a fraudulent claim at AIB, Main Street, Tallaght on April 22, 2010; 38 similar charges related to the fraudulent claims made between April 2010 and September 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

September 2014 Incident
April 22, 2010 Incident
April 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
April 2015 Other
2017-02-02 Publication

Case subjects

Jane Fay

Defendant

Charges: making a fraudulent claim at AIB, Main Street, Tallaght on April 22, 2010; 38 similar charges related to the fraudulent claims made between April 2010 and September 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She imposed a three year sentence which she suspended in full.