Courts / Dublin / Report

Man used ill father to withdraw cash from dead man's account

Date
2021-01-18
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Wayne Fitzgerald, 47, was given a suspended sentence after using his ill father to withdraw more than €9,000 from a deceased man's bank account. Fitzgerald learned of the account when the deceased's bank statements were mistakenly sent to his father, who shared the same name as the account holder. The account holder had lived in the same building a decade earlier, and their names differed only by the initial of their middle name. Sergeant Brian Hunt explained that Fitzgerald's father, suffering from dementia, brought him to the bank to withdraw the funds, which Fitzgerald then transferred to his own account. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to eight charges of handling stolen property, totalling €9,250, for transactions in Dublin between June and November 2016. He had no prior convictions. The bank refunded the withdrawn amount. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Fitzgerald had seen an opportunity and, "to his shame," took it.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man used ill father to withdraw cash from dead man's account. Charges or matters: eight charges of handling stolen property, a total of €9,250, at unknown locations in Dublin between June 2016 and November 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Wayne Fitzgerald

Defendant

Charges: eight charges of handling stolen property, a total of €9,250, at unknown locations in Dublin between June 2016 and November 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Collins) A man who used his ill father to withdraw over €9,000 from a dead man's bank account has been given a suspended sentence. He said given the circumstances a custodial sentence was not necessary and suspended a two-and-a-half-year term in full on condition that Fitzgerald hand over €9,250 to the appropriate bank within the next week and keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years.

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

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