Courts / Louth / Report
Woman who stole over €28k in benefits was under pressure to pay daughter's drug debts
Summary
A woman who stole over €28,000 from the State by falsely claiming job seekers allowance while employed was sentenced today in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Bridget Dwane (55), of Emmet Square, Blackrock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to making false or misleading statements to facilitate the payment of jobseekers allowance between March 2009 and July 2011. She admitted to receiving an overpayment of €28,484 during this period and has since made repayments of €200 per month, though she still owes €24,200 to the State. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the 'loss to the exchequer was significant' but acknowledged Dwane's cooperation, early guilty pleas, and genuine remorse. She sentenced Dwane to 12 months in prison, suspended in full, on the condition that she engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. Emmet Sqaure, another defendant, was not sentenced as no details of his charges, plea, or sentence were provided. The court heard that Dwane was under pressure to pay her daughter's drug debts and had taken out a €6,000 credit union loan to do so. The matter was not adjourned and is now at the validated procedural stage of sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman who stole over €28k in benefits was under pressure to pay daughter's drug debts. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2008 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2017-05-30 Publication
Why: A woman who stole over €28,000 from the State by claiming job seekers allowance while she was working said she did so because she was under pressure to pay her daughter's drug debts. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge O'Connor said the "loss to the exchequer was significant" but given Dwane's co-operation, early guilty pleas and genuine remorse, she wouldn't impose a custodial sentence. She sentenced Dwane to 12 months in prison which she suspended in full on condition that she engage with the Probation Service for those 12 months.
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