Courts / Dublin / Report

No jail for courier who stole €66k in social welfare payments

Summary

Richard Burbridge, 46, of Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to eleven sample counts of stealing from the Department of Social Protection between April 2009 and December 2014. The court heard that Burbridge, who operated a courier business with an annual turnover exceeding €100,000, collected disability allowance payments from the post office in Inchicore. Although the payments were conditional on his income remaining below a specific threshold, his business generated net profits ranging from €33,000 to €41,500 during the period. Garda Thomas Burke stated that Burbridge received €66,961 in overpayments without entitlement. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that the case differed from typical social welfare fraud involving social deprivation, as the offending was discovered when a former employee found no record of PRSI payments. Burbridge's defence, John Noonan BL, highlighted that the defendant had already repaid over €10,000 through monthly payments of €400 and no longer claimed benefits. Judge O'Connor suspended a three-year jail sentence for five years, conditional on Burbridge continuing his monthly repayments to the Department. She noted that the Department of Public Prosecutions could apply to the court if his circumstances changed, stating that repaying the debt was more beneficial to the excheurer than incarceration.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: No jail for courier who stole €66k in social welfare payments. Charges or matters: eleven sample counts of stealing from the Department of Social Protection between April 2009 and December 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• April 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-10-10 Publication

Why: The court was told Burbridge became eligible for the payments in 2009 because he was suffering from depression. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report