Man conned woman out of her €90k life savings
A MAN who was involved in a scam that conned an “exceptionally vulnerable” woman out of her life savings has been jailed for three years. Michael O’brien’s victim was left with €93 in her bank account after handing over €90,000 to him. The 24-year-old pleaded guilty at Dublin’s Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of deception between October 2015 and November 2015. Garda Dermot English told how the woman said a man called to her home and offered to re-pave her driveway. She agreed and paid him €7,500. The woman said she paid the same man €1,500 to paint her house but the work was not completed. She then received a call from a person claiming to be from a bank. The caller said if she paid instalments of €5,000 he would get her “a big cheque for €76,000”. The woman agreed and withdrew amounts of €5,000 to give to O’brien until she was left with €93. Gardai arrested O’brien, of Old Castle Drive, Clondalkin, when they spotted him meeting with the woman. He claimed he was working for “a bossman”. Judge Melanie Greally was told O’brien’s family helped him raise €20,000 for the victim.