Courts / Dublin / Report
Mother of 16 tried to defraud insurance company to pay for her funeral
Summary
Winnifred Lawrence, 69, of Moorefield Grove, Clondalkin, admitted to forging a personal injury claim to RSA insurance, pretending to be Ellen Stokes, to cover funeral costs for herself and her husband. She had no prior convictions. Lawrence had previously filed a bogus claim in February 2018, which was struck out. The insurance company suffered a loss of €14,143.37, including legal costs. Lawrence's motivation was her and her husband's ill health and lack of funds; she had two children who died as infants and her husband had a brain haemorrhage. She was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full, after pleading guilty in the District Court. The judge noted Lawrence's cooperation, remorse, and personal circumstances, and highlighted the offence's impact on insurance costs.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mother of 16 tried to defraud insurance company to pay for her funeral. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 7, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 5, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-05-29 Publication
Why: Credit: Collins) A mother of 16 has avoided a jail term after she tried to process a bogus personal injury claim because she needed money to cover the costs of her and her husband's funerals. CNI source report
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