Courts / Dublin / Report
Former refugee falsely claimed €51k in benefits
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Besnik Vucaj, a 49‑year‑old former Albanian refugee, pleaded guilty to five counts of deception for inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay rent supplements and three counts for inducing it to pay carer's allowance. He had purchased two Italian identity cards from a resident at his former address and used them while working for a Dublin construction firm. Between June 2012 and March 2016, Vucaj claimed over €51,000 in rent supplements and carer's allowance under false identities. Garda Thomas Burke explained that Vucaj would need more than 31 years to repay the debt if he set aside €30 a week from his wages. He had repaid €1,680 to date and offered to repay €100 a week. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to gather evidence of his financial pressures and current earnings, ordering probation and community service reports and returning the case for finalisation in May.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former refugee falsely claimed €51k in benefits. Charges or matters: five charges of deception by inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay rent supplement at Harold's Cross Post Office, Dublin, on dates between June 2012 and March 2016; three similar charges of inducing the Department to pay carer's allowance at Bank Of Ireland, Terenure, Dublin, from January 2014 to March 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 2012 Other
- March 2016 Other
- January 2014 Other
- May 2016 Other
- 2018-03-16 Publication
Why: Gda Burke also accepted that Vucaj was willing to repay the State €100 a week and that he couldn't get a loan with his local credit union because he hadn't built up enough history with it. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: five charges of deception by inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay rent supplement at Harold's Cross Post Office, Dublin, on dates between June 2012 and March 2016; three similar charges of inducing the Department to pay carer's allowance at Bank Of Ireland, Terenure, Dublin, from January 2014 to March 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Codd said she was adjourning the sentence because she wanted evidence of what financial pressures Vucaj had been under and what he is currently earning. She ordered probation service and community service reports and put the matter back for finalisation in May.; She ordered probation service and community service reports and put the matter back for finalisation in May.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Corrib Road
- Dublin
Topics
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