Courts / Dublin / Report

Grandparents spared jail for €72k social welfare fraud

Date
2018-07-20

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Two Dublin grandparents, Annette McCluskey (57) and her husband Edward McCluskey (61), admitted fraudulently claiming over €72,000 in social welfare payments over 11 years. Annette worked as a cleaner under an assumed name while Edward falsely claimed adult‑dependent allowance payments. Both pleaded guilty to multiple counts of stealing adult‑dependent allowance and other related offences. The court imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on Annette and a two‑year suspended sentence on Edward, after arrangements were made for the couple to pay €28 a week to the Department of Social and Family Affairs and having already repaid over €3,000. The judge noted their ill health, lack of lavish lifestyle, and the impact of Edward's alcohol addiction, concluding that the couple had learned a "salutary lesson" and were unlikely to re‑engage in such offences. The court did not impose a custodial sentence or community service.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Grandparents spared jail for €72k social welfare fraud. Charges or matters: three sample counts of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs at Pearse Street Post Office, Pearse Street, Dublin on dates between July 2004 and March 2013; using a PPS number in the name of Jacqueline Hayden at SIPTU College, Canal House, South Circular Road on July 15, 2005; sample counts of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs also at Pearse Street Post Office on dates between July 2004 and March 2012; concealing that Annette McCluskey was employed at the Social Welfare Office, Tara Street, Dublin on June 21, 2005. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 2004 Other
March 2013 Other
July 15, 2005 Other
March 2012 Other
June 21, 2005 Other
April 2015 Other
2018-07-20 Publication

Why: Garda Ian Abbey said Annette McCluskey later revealed that she took on work as a cleaner and home helper under another name because of her husband's alcohol issues and her debts to money lenders. CNI source report

Case subjects

Annette McCluskey

Defendant

Outcome: Annette McCluskey has received a three-year suspended sentence while her husband Edward was handed a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge O'Connor said the headline sentence for Annette McCluskey was five years and for Edward McCluskey three years, but that she had to consider the mitigating factors in making her decision. "This was not a victimless crime," said Judge O'Connor. "There were multiple counts over a considerable period of time.

Edward McCluskey

Defendant

Charges: three sample counts of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs at Pearse Street Post Office, Pearse Street, Dublin on dates between July 2004 and March 2013; using a PPS number in the name of Jacqueline Hayden at SIPTU College, Canal House, South Circular Road on July 15, 2005; sample counts of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs also at Pearse Street Post Office on dates between July 2004 and March 2012; concealing that Annette McCluskey was employed at the Social Welfare Office, Tara Street, Dublin on June 21, 2005 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty