Courts / Dublin / Report
Mum-of-four (61) who stole €100k in social welfare payments is jailed
Summary
Maria Redmond, a 61‑year‑old mother of four, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for fraudulently claiming about €100,000 in social welfare payments. She had been receiving an invalidity pension for 13 years while working part‑time as a cleaner at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. Redmond pleaded guilty to 14 counts of stealing property from the Department of Social Protection between November 2002 and September 2015. The court found she had used the money to pay her mortgage, keep a roof over her head and look after her children. She was caught after officials discovered she held two PPS numbers under different names and that she had not informed the department of her change in circumstances when she began working. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Redmond was not wealthy, had no prior convictions, and was unlikely to re‑offend, but she had taken the criminal route and must serve her sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mum-of-four (61) who stole €100k in social welfare payments is jailed. Charges or matters: 14 counts of stealing property from the Department of Social Protection between November 2002 and September 2015. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 2002 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2018-01-25 Publication
Why: When arrested, Redmond told gardaí that because she was only working for three hours a day, she did not think she was doing anything wrong. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 14 counts of stealing property from the Department of Social Protection between November 2002 and September 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Credit: Collins) By Isabel Hayes and Jessica Magee A mother-of-four who stole around €100,000 in fraudulent social welfare payments has been sentenced to ten months in prison. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Redmond's motivating factor was to take care of her family, that she wasn't a wealthy person and was unlikely to re-offend.
Places mentioned
- Our Lady's Hospital
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Comeragh Road
- Dublin
Topics
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