Courts / Dublin / Report

Civil Servant stole over €6.5k in fake jobseeker allowance claims

Date
2017-10-09
Stage
Charge Or Pretrial
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 33‑year‑old civil servant Jacqueline Walsh pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing €6,736 from the Department of Social Protection between October 2011 and May 2012. Walsh, who worked at the Tallaght branch, accessed her brother William Walsh's PPS number and used three different staff usernames to submit fake jobseeker allowance claims in his name. The court noted that computers were often left unlocked, allowing such access. Walsh resigned in 2015 and moved to a private company. She admitted receiving the money into her account, though her superior claimed she was competent at using the claims system. No stolen money was recovered. Walsh, with no prior convictions, is on bail and has four children, two of whom have health issues. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to December 6, citing a significant breach of trust.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Civil Servant stole over €6.5k in fake jobseeker allowance claims. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

Case subjects

Jacqueline Walsh

Applicant

Outcome: Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned the matter for sentencing on December 6. "This is a difficult case," the judge noted, adding Walsh had carried out a "significant breach of trust".

William Walsh

Applicant

Outcome: Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned the matter for sentencing on December 6. "This is a difficult case," the judge noted, adding Walsh had carried out a "significant breach of trust".

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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