Courts / Wicklow / Report

Woman stole over €30k from hosptial

Summary

Laura Byrne, 40, of Ardglass, Baltinglass, was found guilty of eight counts of theft and two counts of deception by using false HSE receipts between 16 April 2015 and 21 October 2016. She admitted stealing €30,413 from the daily‑care wards at Clonskeagh Hospital, where patients paid €5 a day for meals and transport. The money was collected by Byrne, who was expected to lodge receipts to the HSE and keep an electronic record. Unofficial receipts and missing weeks raised concerns, and the hospital later reported the theft. Byrne gave a prepared statement admitting the theft, apologising, and explaining that her husband had been out of work for two years and then suffered a heart attack, leaving her to manage finances under extreme stress. She has no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case for 12 months to allow a probation report and for Byrne to continue restitution. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November next year.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman stole over €30k from hosptial. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• April 16, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
• October 21, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• November 18 Adjournment
• 2015 and 2016 Other
• 2018-11-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report