Courts / Dublin / Report

'Psychic' confidence trickster jailed for telling man dead father wanted him to hand over €10k

Date
2023-07-10

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Debbie Paget, 55, of Knowth Court, Ballymun, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury in May 2023 of dishonestly inducing by deception James Byrne to give her €10,000 after claiming his deceased father told her to ask for the money and that the devil would take his soul if he did not. She was also charged with inducing Byrne's sister, Maria, to give her €200, but the jury returned a not guilty verdict on that count. Paget pleaded not guilty to both charges. The judge described her as an "old‑fashioned confidence trickster" and sentenced her to 18 months' imprisonment, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. The case was heard in Dublin, with the judge noting that Byrne was a vulnerable person who believed the supernatural threat. No evidence was presented as to where the money was spent.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Psychic' confidence trickster jailed for telling man dead father wanted him to hand over €10k. Charges or matters: dishonestly inducing by deception James Byrne to give her €10,000. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

2023-07-10 Publication

Why: "Far from offering him spiritual comfort, she devised a make-believe threat to his soul," Judge Codd said, before she added that it doesn't matter that the threat seemed "fantastical" because Mr Byrne believed it to be true and felt obligated to hand over the cash. CNI source report