Courts / Dublin / Report

"Intelligent, ambitious and very hard-working young man" jailed for claiming benefits under assumed French identity

Date
2015-11-27

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

An Algerian man, Amine Laib, aged 25, was jailed for one year after using a French passport under the name "Riadh Karim Laheen" to obtain a PPS number and claim €17,768 in Jobseeker's Allowance from 2012 to 2014. The fraud was uncovered when Laib applied for a PPS number as an asylum seeker under his real name and facial‑recognition software matched the photos from the PPS number issued to his assumed identity. Laib pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of stealing cheques for €124 from the Department of Social Protection and to making a false French passport. He had no prior convictions. The judge noted Laib was "an intelligent, ambitious and very hard‑working young man" but imposed a custodial sentence to deter similar offences. The case highlighted the use of dual identities to claim social welfare payments.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "Intelligent, ambitious and very hard-working young man" jailed for claiming benefits under assumed French identity. Charges or matters: 11 sample counts of stealing cheques for €124 from the Department of Social Protection at Harrington House, Harrington Street, Dublin and at his existing address between June 1, 2012 and November 11, 2014; making a false French passport on a date unknown within the State. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 1, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
November 11, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
2012 and 2014 Other
2015-11-27 Publication

Case subjects

Amine Laib

Defendant

Charges: 11 sample counts of stealing cheques for €124 from the Department of Social Protection at Harrington House, Harrington Street, Dublin and at his existing address between June 1, 2012 and November 11, 2014; making a false French passport on a date unknown within the State (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Mr Dwyer submitted that this case was different from people who "cynically abuse the system" and asked the judge to consider a non-custodial sentence.