Gerard Lawlor, 68, of Balrothery, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of fraudulently claiming €167,873 in social welfare payments from 2005 to 2015. The fraud was uncovered during a Revenue audit of his former wife's dieting company, which revealed that Lawlor had been claiming pre‑retirement payments for himself and adult dependent allowances for his estranged wife. On 15 June 2017 Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a wholly suspended three‑year sentence with strict conditions, citing a reluctance to imprison Lawlor because it would be detrimental to the life of his sisters, who rely on his support. The Director of Public Prosecutions has requested a review of the sentence on the grounds that it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome reported.
Sabrina O'Connor, a former care worker aged 37, was acquitted on ten charges of theft and deception after a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found her not guilty. The case involved allegations that she stole over €43,000 from an elderly stroke victim she cared for between June 2010 and December 2011. The jury could not reach verdicts on three counts and remanded her on continuing bail until July 9 to address those charges. O'Connor admitted that accepting money from a client was against her work policy and said she had been under pressure. She claimed she had attempted to repay the largest sum of €15,000 but the victim said the money was "in custody." The judge ordered that sum to be paid back to the complainant. The trial also covered allegations of bank account theft, use of cheques, and a vehicle purchase, but these were not resolved in the verdict.
The jury in the trial of former care worker Sabrina O'Connor, aged 37, will enter its third day of deliberations at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Connor denies 13 theft counts and one deception count relating to alleged theft of over €43,000 from an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. The prosecution claims the largest sum stolen was €15,000, used to secure a house option, and that O'Connor also stole an €8,500 bank draft to purchase a Land Rover. Evidence shows she used 11 cheques, ranging from €1,000 to €2,500, totalling €20,100, to withdraw money from the victim's account for her own benefit. The victim, who suffered a stroke, said O'Connor had access to her account and that O'Connor had claimed gifts of €8,000, €10,000, and a €15,000 loan for a house deposit, which she has not repaid.
Joseph Walshe, a 50‑year‑old former general manager of Nevinar Cosmetics Ltd, was found guilty of ten counts of theft for stealing Clarins cosmetics worth over €700,000 retail from his employer between January 2010 and December 2011. He sold the goods to a UK wholesaler who believed he acted on behalf of Nevinar, receiving €204,122.38, while the loss to Nevinar was €181,582.00. A jury convicted him after a 12‑day trial and Judge Pauline Code sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on the condition that he repay €181,000 within one year. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing judge's approach. The case was described as a serious, pre‑meditated fraud carried out over more than two years. Joseph Walshe pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Sabrina O'Connor, a former care worker, is in its final stage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She denies 13 theft counts and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. On day six, the jury of twelve members had deliberated for just over an hour before Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the session for the evening, with deliberations to resume tomorrow.
The Supreme Court of Ireland has dismissed Gary Davis's appeal and cleared the way for his extradition to the United States. Davis, who lives in Wicklow, is alleged to have been an administrator of the Silk Road website, which sold illegal drugs and hacking software. He faces US charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and could receive a life sentence if convicted. Davis argued that his Asperger's Syndrome and mental health would be at risk if extradited, but the court found no real risk of degrading treatment and held that the state must protect all persons in extradition cases. The High Court had ordered his extradition in 2016, and his 2017 appeal was dismissed. The Supreme Court granted a 48‑hour stay to allow his lawyers to advise him and consider a referral to the European Court of Human Rights.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She admitted that while caring for a stroke‑victim client she sometimes withdrew money from the client's account, presented a cheque to the bank, and received cash in an envelope. She also claimed that the client gave her €8,000 as a gift to buy a car and later loaned €15,000 for a house deposit, which she said she had not yet repaid. O'Connor said she accepted the money to keep the client happy and was afraid of losing her job, so she did not inform her employers. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, is in its closing stages. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, questioned her about the nature of the cheques and her failure to report the transactions to the Gardaí.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Bridget O'Neill, a professional carer, testified that she noticed an unusually high number of transactions on the bank statement of an elderly stroke victim she cared for. O'Neill, who worked for the same company as the defendant, described feeling uneasy after reviewing the statement, noting that the number of transactions exceeded what would normally be expected. She explained that the victim was physically disabled and dependent on her for daily care, including food, laundry, and even playing Lotto. O'Neill also revealed that the victim had gifted her €5,000 and €3,000 on separate occasions, and that the victim had loaned money to the accused. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The defendant, Sabrina O'Connor, has pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge.
Brendan Delappe, 58, avoided jail after a suspended sentence of two and a half years for failing to pay €150,000 in tax. The court found his offences were not systemic fraud but stemmed from a poor business model and bad management, exacerbated by depression following his wife's death in 2008. Delappe had provided merchandising services, charged VAT to a company, but did not remit the payments to Revenue. He also failed to file correct income tax returns between 2007 and 2012. Revenue Officer Karen Burns reported €140,626 in unpaid VAT and €19,615 in unpaid income tax. Delappe pleaded guilty, cooperated with Gardaí, and showed genuine remorse. His three adult daughters now manage his affairs and are organising repayments. Judge Melanie Greally noted mitigating factors, including his depression, guilty plea, and cooperation, and commended the daughters' support. The headline sentence was four years, but the final imposed term was fully suspended.
In the trial of Independent TD Michael Lowry, the State alleges that his company, Garuda Ltd, received €372,000 in commission from Norpe OY in August 2002, which was routed to a third party in the Isle of Man and omitted from the 2002 accounts. The prosecution claims the accounts were falsified in 2007 to record the payment as received in 2006. Remy Farrell SC urged the jury to view the series of alleged mis‑reporting as a "tragic series of unfortunate events" and suggested that Lowry deliberately concealed the transaction to avoid corporation tax and to protect the company from insolvency. Patrick Treacy SC defended Lowry, noting that a charge of an incorrect income tax return was dropped and that the case centred on alleged misfiling of an invoice rather than fraud. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with a jury of eleven.
Former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm was sentenced to six years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. Judge Karen O'Connor described the conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and part of a "premeditated and planned" scheme. Drumm, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury of conspiring with former officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe, and others to dishonestly inflate Anglo's 2008 deposits by €7.2 billion. He was also found guilty of false accounting for misleading the market on December 3, 2008. The judge noted that while the bank was in difficult circumstances, this did not excuse the fraud. Drumm received credit for five months previously served in a US federal penitentiary. He had been on bail throughout the trial, and his bail was continued following the conviction. The judge acknowledged the personal impact on Drumm and his family but emphasized the abuse of trust and significant planning involved in the alleged fraud.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, of The Green, Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 13 theft charges and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim she cared for. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, alleges that O'Connor accessed the victim's bank account and stole €15,000 and €8,500 bank drafts, using them to secure a house option and purchase a Land Rover. She is also accused of taking money via cheques, spending it for her own benefit, and buying food and paying bills with the victim's bank cards. The victim, who had her cheque book in an unlocked drawer, claims she never authorized these withdrawals and has no recollection of them. The trial is set to continue on Thursday before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of twelve. Sabrina O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
David Drumm, former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank, authorised €7.2 billion of back‑to‑back transactions with Irish Life & Permanent in September 2008 that inflated the bank's customer deposits from €44 billion to €51 billion. The scheme, described by the prosecution as a "massive con", involved circular routes through the assurance arm of ILP and was presented as legitimate funding. Drumm pleaded not guilty but admitted the transactions occurred, disputing they were fraudulent. He did not call witnesses. The trial, one of the longest in Irish criminal history, concluded with a unanimous guilty verdict. The prosecution alleged Drumm conspired with former Anglo executives, including Denis Casey, Willie McAteer and John Bowe, to falsify the balance sheet and mislead investors. The case highlighted the bank's desperate liquidity situation amid global financial turmoil and the role of the Financial Regulator in overseeing the transactions. The court found Drumm's actions constituted fraud and conspiracy to defraud.
Jonathan Chubb, 38, of Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to 34 thefts, two false reference offences, four deception counts, six forged licence offences and one money‑laundering count committed between March 2013 and July 2015. The court described his conduct as extremely pre‑meditated and disturbing, noting that he stole deposits from 11 people who believed he was the landlord of an apartment at Oblate View, Tyrconnell Road, and that many victims had young children. Chubb also stole four iPhone 5s from Three Ireland in 2017 and used forged standing‑order mandates to defraud bank customers while working for Wisefx. He had 27 prior convictions, including 12 theft and fraud offences. The judge highlighted that all injured parties were fully reimbursed and praised his guilty pleas for avoiding lengthy trials.
Father‑of‑three Besnik Vucaj, aged 49, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to five counts of deception for fraudulently claiming over €51,000 in rent supplements and carer's allowances from the Department of Social Protection between June 2012 and March 2016. He had purchased two Italian identity cards from a former resident of his past address to present himself as an Italian worker at a Dublin construction firm. Vucaj admitted to using these false identities to obtain benefits while working in Terenure, Dublin. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his cooperation with investigators, and his efforts to repay the debt, and therefore suspended two years of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. He is now paying €100 per week toward the €49,000 still owed to the department. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with Judge Pauline Codd presiding.
A High Court judge has referred an extradition case to the Court of Justice of the European Union to determine how Brexit will affect the transfer of suspects to the United Kingdom. The man, arrested in Dublin over two years ago, faces charges of murder and rape in Northern Ireland. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly granted the referral request made by counsel for the Minister for Justice, finding the matter bound up with issues of mutual trust between jurisdictions. Eight additional cases involving men sought by UK authorities were considered at the same hearing. In February, the Supreme Court had similarly referred another extradition matter to the CJEU, concerning a Roscommon man wanted in connection with a substantial tax fraud allegation in the UK.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Kevin Fay, 42, for fraud committed in 2014, after a four‑year delay that the judge described as "terribly unfair." Fay, a former agent for Provident Personal Credit, had submitted false loan applications and stole €4,300. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft. Initially, Quinn imposed a three‑month jail term to deter trust‑based employees from stealing. After defence lawyer Luigi Rea requested a brief reprieve, Fay presented €1,100 in compensation. The judge suspended the entire one‑year prison sentence, requiring Fay to repay the remaining €3,200 within two years. Fay, now a roofer earning €580 a week, had no prior convictions. The judge noted the delay and the lack of earlier restitution efforts as factors in the sentencing decision.
Jonathan Chubb, a former property investor, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 34 counts of theft, two counts of providing a false reference, four counts of deception, six counts of possession of a forged driving licence, and one count of money laundering between March 2013 and July 2015. Prosecutors alleged he stole apartment deposits from 11 victims, including a woman and her child who were left homeless, and defrauded businesses of over €23,000. Chubb also admitted to 11 charges of stealing rent money totalling €8,660 in 2012, for which he previously received 200 hours of community service in lieu of two and a half years imprisonment. Defending counsel noted Chubb had brought €9,000 to court for injured parties and promised further compensation. Judge Karen O'Connor described the crimes as disturbing, noting the impact on vulnerable families. The matter was adjourned until May 30, 2018, for sentencing.
Denis Harrington, 41, is wanted in the Netherlands for ten alleged fraud or attempted fraud offences relating to a roof‑repair scam involving Irish Travellers. Dutch authorities claim the Travellers approached senior homeowners, claiming roof work was needed, then began work before agreements were made, removing roof tiles and battens and causing deliberate damage and leaks. Harrington was arrested and presented before the High Court under a European Arrest Warrant. Lawyers highlighted ambiguities in the warrant and requested further information. The case was adjourned to 14 May, and Harrington is currently serving a prison sentence in Ireland.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jadesola Agbalade, 51, pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing a child pornography clip that showed an infant being raped. The clip, depicting a child aged between two and five, was forwarded by Agbalade to a friend and later discovered during a Garda investigation into credit card fraud. Agbalade admitted to sending the clip and claimed she did not understand the seriousness of the offence. Judge Karen O'Connor wholly suspended a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the case as a one‑off instance of poor judgement and noting a psychological report found no sinister motive. The judge ordered Agbalade to remain on the sex offenders register for five years, but she avoided custodial jail time. The court highlighted her cooperation, remorse, and lack of prior convictions. The case was presented as an unusual, non‑profit‑based distribution of a single clip.
Samuel Peprah, a 42‑year‑old Ghanaian‑born man living in Clondalkin, was sentenced to two years in prison for fraudulently claiming more than €60,000 in social welfare payments between October 2013 and November 2016. While employed full‑time in the kitchens of the Merrion Hotel, Peprah used his own name to claim Rent Allowance, Jobseekers' Allowance and Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and also claimed under an assumed name. He pleaded guilty to 22 counts of fraud. The State suffered a loss of €63,218. Peprah admitted that he had used his brother Ebenezer Amedayaw's Belgian identity to facilitate the fraud, offering his brother up to €200 a month for the use of his identity. He has repaid about €1,500 and is making weekly repayments of roughly €70, a pace that would take 17 years to clear the debt. Peprah is now employed by the HSE as a care assistant.
In a criminal hearing at Dublin Circuit Court, former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm was accused of conspiring to defraud depositors and investors by misrepresenting the bank's deposit levels. Drumm, who signed a statement to the Irish Stock Exchange on 3 December 2008, claimed that customer funding had risen to €51.5 bn, a figure that was later alleged to be inflated by €7.2 bn. He admitted that multi‑million‑euro transactions occurred between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) in 2008 but denied any fraud or dishonesty. Dermot Kieran, a former finance manager, testified that he learned of the transactions after they happened and that Drumm had asked him to sketch the balance sheet and forecast it for September 2008. Michael Casey, ILP's treasury manager, confirmed that a £978 m sterling transaction with Anglo on 25 September 2008 was authorised by temporarily overriding the credit limit. David Drumm pleaded not guilty.
Joseph Walshe, a 49‑year‑old former general manager of Nevinar Cosmetics Ltd, was found guilty of ten counts of theft between January 2010 and December 2011. He stole Clarins cosmetics worth over €700,000 in retail value, selling them to a UK wholesaler who believed he acted on behalf of Nevinar. Walshe received €204,122.38 for the goods, while the company lost €181,582.00. A jury trial lasted 12 days, and on 15 June 2017 he was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. The judge ordered him to pay the company €181,582.00. The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed, arguing the sentence is unduly lenient, citing pre‑meditated fraud, abuse of trust and greed as aggravating factors. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The article reports only the sentencing stage and the appeal request, without any subsequent outcome. Joseph Walshe pleaded not guilty.
Michael O'Brien, aged 25, was found guilty of deceiving a vulnerable woman who was caring for her 95‑year‑old mother and had psychiatric illness. Between October and November 2015, O'Brien persuaded her to pay €5,000 repeatedly, claiming it was for driveway repaving, house painting, and a supposed bank scam. He collected about €90,000, her entire life savings, and only €20,000 was recovered. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received a three‑year prison sentence on 24 March 2017. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, stating the deception was "so despicable" that the maximum five‑year sentence would have been appropriate. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the original three‑year term. The case highlighted the victim's vulnerability and the extent of the financial loss.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Besnik Vucaj, a 49‑year‑old former Albanian refugee, pleaded guilty to five counts of deception for inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay rent supplements and three counts for inducing it to pay carer's allowance. He had purchased two Italian identity cards from a resident at his former address and used them while working for a Dublin construction firm. Between June 2012 and March 2016, Vucaj claimed over €51,000 in rent supplements and carer's allowance under false identities. Garda Thomas Burke explained that Vucaj would need more than 31 years to repay the debt if he set aside €30 a week from his wages. He had repaid €1,680 to date and offered to repay €100 a week. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to gather evidence of his financial pressures and current earnings, ordering probation and community service reports and returning the case for finalisation in May.
In a dangerous driving causing death trial, the prosecution argued that David Byrne, 42, could not have seen the road because he has no peripheral vision due to Usher Syndrome Type II. Prosecutor Fionnuala O'Sullivan said a fully sighted driver would have seen 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne as she crossed Collins Avenue East, Killester, on 16 October 2015, and that Byrne's decision to drive with this condition, despite doctors' advice, made his driving dangerous. She also alleged Byrne obtained a driving licence by deception, answering "no" to a medical difficulty question, and failed to disclose his eye condition to his insurer. Byrne denies dangerous driving and the licence fraud, pleading not guilty. The jury will deliberate tomorrow, with the trial before Judge Patricia Ryan.
Patrick Mahony, 50, former director of Boxform Ltd, pleaded guilty to five revenue offences for failing to remit VAT, PRSI and income tax for 2006‑2007. He was initially given a wholly suspended three‑year sentence and a €10,000 fine by Judge Gerald Keys at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on 25 April 2017. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". In the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon reviewed the case, noting the fraud was discovered in March 2008 when former employees sought PRSI and found no records. The company's accountant later submitted an amended return, revealing additional liabilities. Total unpaid taxes amounted to €1,224,329, with a loss to Revenue of €2,594,000 including penalties and interest. Mr Justice Mahon re‑sentenced Mahony to 12 months imprisonment, with the remaining two years suspended, and ordered him to report to a Dublin Garda station to begin serving his term.
Martin Holden, 52, of Garrigue, Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny, was found guilty of multiple thefts over a five‑year period from 2007 to 2012. He advertised non‑existent heavy machinery on internet sites, offering competitive prices and claiming to arrange overseas shipping. He collected deposits from 17 victims worldwide, ranging from €2,000 to €40,000, and transferred the money to Lithuania. The High Court ordered his extradition to Lithuania, but the order was stayed until he served his sentence. On appeal, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence from four years with the final year suspended to four years and eight months imprisonment. The judge noted that Holden resumed the same pattern of fraud while on bail and that the offence was serious, elaborate and carried out over five years. The sentence was deemed unduly lenient and was accordingly increased.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the jury was informed that the €7.2 billion transactions between Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent in September 2008 were "optical benefit only" and created no new cash. Former Anglo treasury manager Ciaran Cunningham, who testified on day 34 of David Drumm's conspiracy‑to‑defraud trial, confirmed the transactions took place but disputed any fraud or dishonesty. Cunningham explained that the deals were netted and would not appear in the accounts, that they were "cash neutral," and that the only benefit was optical. He noted the transactions were initially settled gross but later settled net, a fact he learned in February 2009. Drumm, the former chief executive, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud and false accounting, and the trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
David Marsh, 31, was sentenced to an additional 14 months in jail after he deceived a woman he met on a dating website by claiming he was anaemic and needed money for medication and a flight to the US to see a specialist. He also extracted €300 from a new girlfriend for a holiday that never occurred, and €800 from the same woman under various pretences. Marsh's criminal history includes six counts of deception, one theft from an Eir store, and possession of heroin while in prison. He had previously been jailed for two years in 2016 for fraud, including defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000, stealing €740 from his employer, and scamming colleagues and rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly for fraud. The court noted his "active fantasy life" and impulsive behaviour, but did not attribute any motive beyond his charm and confidence tactics. David Marsh pleaded guilty.
A 20‑year‑old Romanian teenager, Carmen Nicolae, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year imprisonment for stealing €10,000 worth of jewellery from an elderly couple in Artane on 2 October 2015. Nicolae pretended to be collecting for charity, claiming she was Spanish and collecting for the starving in Africa. She entered the couple's house, was allowed to use the bathroom, and then stole a collection of sentimental items including a diamond engagement ring, charm bracelet, gold chains, an eternity ring, earrings and cuff links. The stolen items were never recovered. A palm print from the jewellery box matched Nicolae's. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had five prior convictions for theft and fraud. Judge Patricia Ryan described the offence as "mean and nasty" and imposed a suspended sentence, noting that if she returned to court she would be dealt with seriously.
Rory Mullally, a 26‑year‑old former Dublin Bus employee, was found guilty of dishonestly appropriating more than €14,000 from the company by creating bogus customer refunds. Between 14 October 2016 and 20 February 2017, he logged rebates for non‑existent or mismatched Leap Card numbers and duplicated refunds, actions discovered when managers noticed 353 anomalies in his logs. Mullally admitted the fraud, citing a gambling addiction, and resigned, returning €1,045 of pension funds and over €1,000 in cash to the company. He pleaded guilty, and the court accepted that his early plea saved time. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, ordering the remaining owed amount to be handed to Gardaí for transfer to Dublin Bus. No prior convictions were recorded.
Daniel Daudet, a French music teacher, was jailed for three and a half years after using dual identities to fraudulently claim €175,000 in social welfare payments between 2002 and 2015. He obtained a PPS number as Alexander Daude in 2002 and later used his real name to claim benefits under both aliases. Daudet also rented a Dublin penthouse with a private pool for €3,000 a month, which he used to fund a lifestyle beyond his means. He was convicted of using a false instrument and a false French national identity card, plus 711 further fraud charges. The court noted his significant dishonesty over a long period and his use of taxpayers' money. Judge Melanie Greally imposed concurrent sentences totaling three and a half years, struck him off the music teachers' register, and acknowledged his repayment arrangements of €100 a week since 2016, with a remaining debt of €167,800.
In January 2018, Paddy Harty, a 44‑year‑old convicted burglar, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for a sexual assault committed on 23 April 2015. Harty met the victim in a pub, they drank together, and he later drove her to a secluded area of The Curragh in County Kildare. While she was still wearing a dress, he forced her down, removed her leggings and underwear, and held her down by her arms. The victim escaped, hid in nearby bushes, and later called the gardai, who could not locate her. She testified that the memory of the attack haunted her daily. Harty pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence is consecutive to a previous four‑year term for theft and fraud offences. He has 168 prior convictions, including 42 thefts, three burglaries and 12 breaches of domestic violence orders, but no prior sexual offences.
A 62‑year‑old man named Owen McKeever pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to fraudulently claiming over €40,000 of Jobseeker's Allowance in his brother Brendan McKeever's name between 2009 and 2013. He was charged with 50 counts of social welfare fraud, resulting in a total loss to the Exchequer of €41,871. McKeever was also making a legitimate claim in his own name at the time. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned his sentence for six months to assess his eligibility for community service. She indicated a potential suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence if he can repay €3,000 to the State every six months, as he has proposed. The case was aided by facial imaging technology introduced in 2013, which matched a genuine photograph of McKeever with one purporting to be his brother. McKeever admitted full responsibility, has begun repaying €50 per week, and has repaid €2,350 to date. The sentence is adjourned until July.
In a 23 January 2018 High Court decision, Justice Carmel Stewart ruled that €875,000 held in Irish bank accounts belonging to Mr Adam Shina Muhammed, a man in his early forties, were proceeds of crime. The accounts, controlled by Mr Muhammed and located at several Irish financial institutions, had been frozen after a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) application. Mr Muhammed had not formally opposed the application and had previously denied involvement in money laundering, claiming the funds were business loans for his company Eirclean. No evidence supported this claim; CAB presented evidence of large sums deposited between May 2014 and November 2015 from Hong Kong, China, the USA and Nigeria, totaling about €1.5 million, with €875,000 remaining after some dissipation. CAB found no records of Eirclean's trading activity, premises, employees or tax returns. Justice Stewart therefore ordered the accounts under Section 3 of the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act and appointed a receiver over the monies.
A 70-year-old man from Belfast has received a three-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his involvement in a nationwide credit card fraud scheme. Patrick Manning pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft at various locations between October and December 2016. Gardaí established that fraudulent cards obtained through impersonation of Barclays Bank customers were used to purchase approximately €52,000 worth of goods, including laptops and foreign currency, across locations from Dublin to Donegal. Manning was identified through CCTV footage and apprehended in Drogheda in December 2016 whilst collecting an emergency card. He admitted acting as the "presentable face" of the operation for a daily wage of around €100, receiving between €1,500 and €2,000 in total. Manning declined to identify other participants. Judge Martin Nolan noted that gardaí did not believe Manning was the primary organiser. In imposing the suspended sentence, the judge considered Manning's age, poor health, and personal circumstances.
Daniel Daudet, a 40‑year‑old French music teacher, used two identities to claim €175,000 in social welfare while living in a Dublin penthouse that he rented for €3,000 a month. He obtained a PPS number as Alexander Daude in 2002 and used it to claim unemployment, Back to Education and rent allowances up to 2015. Between March 2011 and May 2012 he claimed welfare payments under both names. Garda Ian Abbey revealed that Daudet altered his ID card to create the Alexander Daude PPS number, using tippex, a printer and scanner. He was convicted of 720 counts of fraud for claims from August 2002 to August 2015, with the jury finding him guilty on 783 charges but disagreeing on 61. Daudet has no prior convictions and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has been remanded in custody pending sentencing.
The High Court adjourned several extradition cases involving UK warrants on 15 January pending a Supreme Court decision on whether Brexit creates obstacles to surrendering individuals to Britain. Justice Aileen Donnelly postponed the cases to 19 February to allow the Supreme Court to consider the matter. The cases centre on arguments raised in the extradition proceedings against Thomas Joseph O'Connor, a 49-year-old from Roscommon, who was convicted at Blackfriars Crown Court in London in 2007 of involvement in a £5 million tax fraud and sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment. O'Connor failed to attend his sentencing hearing and subsequently returned to Ireland, where he was arrested on an extradition warrant in 2009. The High Court and Court of Appeal previously ordered his extradition, decisions he unsuccessfully appealed. His counsel raised concerns that extradition posed risks to his fundamental rights due to Brexit, an argument Justice Donnelly rejected, finding no credible evidence of such risk. O'Connor then referred the matter to the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for 24 January.
Michael Williams, 45, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to falsely representing land for sale in Rathnew, County Wicklow, to Ms Eibhlin Butler. He convinced her to re‑mortgage her property and give him €22,500, claiming the land existed and would be purchased. The land was fictional; Williams gambled the money. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment with 21 months suspended, citing the generosity of Williams' sister who offered €10,000 compensation to Butler. Butler suffered financial loss, mental distress, and ongoing disability pension payments. The court heard that Williams had no prior convictions and was now working as a delivery man in the UK. The case highlighted a breach of trust and financial deception.
Cornelius Kaiser, a 40‑year‑old father of three from Collegefort, Castleknock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Court to one count of deception for using falsified bank statements to obtain a €38,720 truck loan in March 2008. He was arrested in December 2008, fled the country, and was returned to Ireland in May 2024 on a European Arrest Warrant issued by the PSNI. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as a "devious crime" and noted Kaiser's use of intellect and deviousness to secure the loan. The false statements were discovered during a Garda search of his sister's house in Blanchardstown, where a Hungarian passport in the name Emmanuel Martin was also found. Kaiser has seven prior convictions, including four concealment offences in Romania, for which he received a three‑year sentence. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 28 May 2024, when he entered custody.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 36‑year‑old Ashley Lucas pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering for setting up a bank account at AIB Drogheda on 24 March 2015. The account was used to defraud foreign student Marlene Lienau, who transferred €1,040 for a room that did not exist. Lucas claimed he was instructed by a Nigerian man in the UK and denied knowing Lienau. Judge Karen O'Connor noted Lucas had paid €1,400 as redress, had no prior convictions, and had complied with bail conditions. She adjourned the case to February to assess suitability for community service, indicating a possible order of 240 hours in lieu of a three‑year prison term. Lienau suffered an economic loss of €1,346 and expressed distress at being scammed and the impact on her view of Ireland.
David Aminu, a 42‑year‑old Nigerian national, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming €136,449 in social welfare payments over seven years. Aminu used his cousin's name to obtain a PPS number and claim Family Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and other benefits from 2006 to 2013. In 2015 he wrote a letter to the Department of Social Welfare revealing his true identity and date of birth, an act that prompted the Gardaí to investigate and ultimately detect the fraud. The court noted that Aminu had no prior convictions, had cooperated fully, and had used the funds to support his family rather than for a lavish lifestyle. The judge emphasised the need for deterrence in such difficult‑to‑detect crimes, while acknowledging Aminu's remorse and good family background. The sentence may have long‑term consequences for Aminu, including potential deportation.
In a High Court case, Norgine BV, a Dutch pharmaceutical company, obtained an order from Judge Paul Gilligan directing AIB to disclose the names and addresses of the holders of an account in the bank's Cahir, Tipperary branch. The order, to be complied with within six days, was sought because Norgine alleges it suffered a serious cyber fraud, paying about €440,000 to the account after receiving an email that appeared to come from an Italian supplier but was actually fraudulent. The company claims the supplier never received the funds, and only a portion of the money has been recovered, leaving roughly €400,000 outstanding. Norgine seeks to identify the individuals who handled the account and to trace the money's destination. AIB, represented by Paul Fogarty, stated that confidentiality and data protection prevented it from providing the requested information, but the parties agreed to the wording of the order. The case was adjourned to a later date in the month.
Brian O'Neill, 47, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended, for stealing €32,460 from an 89‑year‑old woman over an 18‑month period beginning in October 2013. He posed as a handyman, calling the victim, Teresa Byrne, to her home to perform odd jobs and was paid in cash and cheques. He then stole her chequebook and wrote cheques in his own name. Byrne discovered the fraud when her bank manager noticed her account was severely depleted and numerous cheques were drawn in O'Neill's name. Garda Colleen Doherty witnessed O'Neill demanding €400 in cash from Byrne and became aggressive when she refused. O'Neill was arrested on 14 May 2015 after a search warrant was obtained. He pleaded guilty to 99 counts of theft. The court noted his early guilty plea, good employment record and remorse, but also a moderate risk of re‑offending according to a probation report.
Michael Darcy, a 37‑year‑old Dubliner, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for making a false insurance claim to AXA. He alleged that jewellery worth over €40,000 had been stolen during a fictitious break‑in on 1 September 2013. Darcy had previously listed an 18‑carat gold engagement ring (€25,000), a lady's bracelet (€11,000) and a man's bracelet (€5,400) on his AXA policy, though he never owned them. He also forged an AIB bank statement to show €48,783.42 in his account, when the real balance was €34.42. The court noted his prior convictions for burglary, theft and traffic offences, but also his capacity for work and reform. The sentence was back‑dated to 27 October, when he entered custody. The judge described the fraud as a "thought‑out" white‑collar crime. The case highlighted the cost to AXA, which spent €6,200 on the investigation. Michael Darcy pleaded guilty.
Gareth White, 29, of Harcourt Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of using a false instrument to secure loans from various credit unions in 2016, and to using a false instrument to purchase seven phones on behalf of a non‑existent business from Three Ireland on 13 August 2015. Garda Noel Whelan explained that the fraud was discovered when a credit union manager noticed that the address on the AIB bank statement White supplied did not exist. White also used forged bank statements to apply for loans at Phibsborough Credit Union, Larkfield Credit Union in Santry, Whitehall Credit Union and Core Credit Union in Dalkey. He claimed the loans were to buy a wheelchair for his disabled daughter and a headstone for his mother's grave, but the court heard they were actually needed to pay gambling debts. €908 was still owed to Rathfarnham and Dalkey Credit Unions.
Jadesola Agbalade, 51, pleaded guilty on 20 July 2016 to knowingly distributing child pornography after forwarding a clip that showed a child aged between two and five being raped. She claimed she sent the video via WhatsApp to warn a friend about the dangers of leaving her children with her boyfriend. The clip was discovered during an investigation of a man arrested for credit card fraud at Dublin Airport in July 2017; the phone used to send the clip was traced back to Agbalade. She admitted to receiving and sending the clip, and also sent it to a female friend with three children, who has not been identified. Agbalade has no prior convictions, lives in temporary accommodation, and has one teenage child and two adult sons. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the case to 1 March 2018 to obtain a psychological report, citing that Agbalade did not understand the gravity of her actions.
A 41‑year‑old Cork man, Denis Harrington, was brought before the High Court on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Dutch authorities. He faces ten alleged offences of fraud or attempted fraud committed between 2014 and 2015. The allegations describe a scheme in which a group of Irish Travellers approached several mainly senior Dutch citizens, claiming that roof repairs were urgently needed. The Travellers used false names and fictitious company names, and in many cases the agreements were not honoured after the work was carried out. Victims were pressured into paying large sums, often in cash or via bank transfers that were immediately withdrawn. The Dutch authorities say the Travellers caused damage and leaks on roofs, and that the group used straw men to conceal their identities. Harrington is currently serving a prison sentence in Ireland and has been remanded in custody to appear again on 7 December.
Garry Carroll, a former legal executive who had worked for Connolly Sellors and Geraghty Solicitors from 1978 to 2009, was jailed for three years after admitting to theft, larceny and embezzlement over a ten‑year period. He stole about €260,000 from the firm, and the civil case in 2014 awarded the firm €323,000. In November 2017 the High Court approved an order appointing a receiver over Carroll's pension fund held by Irish Life Assurance, which was due to be paid to him on his 60th birthday in June 2019. The receiver will receive the pension proceeds, less tax and a €25,000 retention for Carroll. Carroll, aged 58, said his actions were driven by a gambling addiction. The court noted that the fraud was uncovered when a property developer complained about a missing mortgage payment, leading to Carroll's confession and subsequent counselling.