Sandra Kavanagh jailed for rent supplement fraud

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

Sandra Kavanagh was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 20 months suspended on strict conditions including 20 months of Probation Service supervision after release. The proceedings were reported on 20 May 2021.

She pleaded guilty to four sample counts of making a gain by deception by receiving rent supplement payments on dates between 24 September 2015 and 7 June 2018.

Detective Garda Jason Weir said Kavanagh received €27,079 through 130 payments after leaving the address in August 2015. Judge Pauline Codd cited the duration of the offence and the 130 occasions on which Kavanagh had dishonestly taken money she was not entitled to as aggravating factors. She set a headline sentence of four years.

In mitigation, the judge noted Kavanagh’s difficult personal circumstances and significant medical and mental health problems.