Courts / Dublin / Report

Paddy Power employee stole €67k after discovering glitch in gambling machines

Date
2022-10-11
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Sean Keyes, a 34‑year‑old Paddy Power employee, stole €67,554 from the company after discovering a glitch in its gambling machines. He pleaded guilty to six counts of theft and six counts of producing a false instrument at various Paddy Power stores in Dublin between October 2019 and March 2020. Keyes admitted the theft to his employer and to Gardaí, and he immediately gambled the stolen money back into the company, so Paddy Power did not suffer a financial loss. The court noted that Keyes had a gambling addiction that began at age 14 and that he had taken out high‑interest loans to try to pay them off. He was a father of three, played soccer at a high level, and had a consistent employment history. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two and a half years, suspended on a number of conditions, citing the unique fact that the company did not lose any money.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Paddy Power employee stole €67k after discovering glitch in gambling machines. Charges or matters: six counts of theft and six counts of producing a false instrument at various Paddy Power stores in Dublin on dates between October 2019 and March 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Keyes did not profit from his gambling and, because he immediately gambled the money he won again with Paddy Power, the company did not lose any money. CNI source report

Case subjects

Sean Keyes

Defendant

Charges: six counts of theft and six counts of producing a false instrument at various Paddy Power stores in Dublin on dates between October 2019 and March 2020 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Photo: Collins) A Paddy Power employee who stole more than €67,000 from the company after he discovered a glitch in their gambling machines has been given a suspended sentence. He handed down a two-and-a-half year sentence and suspended it on a number of conditions.

Places mentioned

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

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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