Patricia Donoghue receives suspended sentence over false licence and loans

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Patricia Donoghue received a two-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, suspended in full for two years on condition that she keep the peace and be of good behaviour. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed the sentence.

Donoghue pleaded guilty to using a false driving licence to open an AIB account in 2007 and taking out loans under a false name to purchase cars in 2009 and 2011.

Detective Garda Declan Fitzgerald said a bank statement in the name Anne Marie Kearney was found during a search of Donoghue’s son’s home. Donoghue had used a false licence in that name to open the account in July 2007 and took out a €15,000 loan on 15 February 2011 to buy a car. She obtained another loan in 2009 to buy a car for €8,250. She had repaid that loan in full and was making payments on the €15,000 loan before her arrest.

The report said Donoghue also attempted to insure a car using another false licence in the name Leon Rossiter, bearing her son’s photograph. Defence counsel Cathal McGreal said she was motivated by her son going on the run in 2005 after accumulating a drug debt.

Judge Sheahan cited Donoghue’s early plea, cooperation, previous good character, poor health, job loss, remorse and misguided protection of her son as mitigating factors. She identified the seriousness of the offence as an aggravating factor.