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Timber company director jailed over €200k customer fraud

Summary

Bronwyn O'Dea (54) and Paul De Brit (56), directors of a Dublin timber import business, were convicted of fraud and deception after they promised customers that payments would be taken only after timber delivery but failed to deliver. They used customer money to fund the company, which was in financial distress, and stole €19,124 from Mr Peter Andrews of The Wood Floor Store, Lancashire, England. The total loss to complainants between December 2006 and May 2008 was about €200,000. Both pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced O'Dea to a three‑year prison term, suspended, and De Brit to four years, three of which were suspended. The court noted that all customers lost money and received no timber, and that the directors did not benefit from the fraud. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Timber company director jailed over €200k customer fraud. Charges or matters: the theft and deception of €19,124 from Mr Peter Andrews of The Wood Floor Store, Lancashire, England. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• December 2006 Incident
• May 2008 Incident
• 2020-03-03 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report