Courts / Dublin / Report

Community service for woman over benefits fraud of €31k

Summary

Patricia Sweeney, 60, a cleaner at a primary school, was found to have defrauded the State of €31,700.70 by claiming job‑seeker's allowance while working 12 hours a week on a casual basis, and by forging "declaration of unemployment" forms signed with the principal's name and the school stamp. She had been employed at the school for 19 years and had always received a weekly wage of €112. Sweeney admitted to using the stamp without permission and to signing the principal's name on the dockets. She pleaded guilty to 21 counts of theft and forgery between February 2011 and February 2015. The court imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a 12‑month prison sentence on the first count and two‑year suspended sentences on the remaining counts. She remains on job‑seeker's allowance, with weekly deductions of €27.90 until the debt is cleared.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Community service for woman over benefits fraud of €31k. Charges or matters: 21 sample counts of theft and forgery on dates between February 2011 and February 2015. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• February 2011 Other
• February 2015 Other
• 2017-06-30 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report