Paula Underwood jailed for stealing pension payments

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

Paula Underwood was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 30 July 2019 to three years in prison, with 18 months suspended. The proceedings were reported on 30 July 2019.

Underwood pleaded guilty to unlawfully using a computer with the intention of making a gain for herself at Donabate Post Office between July 2008 and October 2013. She had no previous convictions.

The court heard that Underwood withheld pension payments from 91 customers across 156 transactions, stealing €23,213. An internal An Post audit exposed the thefts, and An Post refunded the affected customers.

An Post held the postmaster at the time, Neill Smith, liable and required him to draw up a repayment plan for the entire sum. The court heard that he paid an initial €5,000 and made deductions from his weekly earnings, with about €6,000 remaining to be paid.

Judge Pauline Codd described the offending as breaches of trust against elderly people and said it involved significant planning, with no evidence of remorse or insight.