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Fake letting agent who stole €12k from victims avoids jail

Summary

Anthony Byrne, 40, used a fake name and doctored a letting contract to defraud four victims, each paying €3,000 for a rental deposit that never existed. He advertised the property on daft.ie, claiming to be a letting agent named Stephen Cummings, and demanded cash payments. Gardaí traced the scheme after a woman reported the fraud; they found the doctored contract and evidence linking Byrne to the false persona. Byrne pleaded guilty to four charges of deception and use of a false instrument at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He repaid the €12,000 to the victims and, after early guilty pleas and expressions of remorse, was sentenced to a two‑year term suspended in full for two years. The judge noted the financial loss was made good and considered Byrne's difficult family and financial circumstances. The victims suffered significant hardship and emotional distress.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Fake letting agent who stole €12k from victims avoids jail. Charges or matters: four charges of inducing another to pay him €3,000 by deception and use of a false instrument at Applewood Crescent, Swords, Co Dublin on dates between September 13 and 14, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 13 Hearing Or Sentence
• September 16, 2020 Other
• 2023-07-31 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report