€875,40521 CREDIT UNION THIEF JAILED
Woman who stole to help husband’s failing firm given two-year sentence
A CREDIT union manager who stole €875,405 from her employer to help save her husband’s failing firm was jailed for two years yesterday.
Anne Butterly, 66, took the money over seven years by getting authorised signatures on blank cheques, taking funds from members’ share accounts, unauthorised transactions on deposit accounts and buying a vehicle for her husband.
Butterly, of Channel Road, Rush, Co Dublin, previously pleaded guilty to stealing €34,496 from Rush Credit Union.
On Monday, she admitted a further three counts of stealing €59,786 between January 11, 2013 and July 31, 2015.
Her defence counsel accepted these were representative sample pleas for offending which took place from 2009 to 2016 and led to the theft of over €875,000.
Judge Martin Nolan described it as “a lamentable case”, in that Butterly had spent all her adult life working with the credit union and “by her competence and enthusiasm, became the manager”.
But he said she began “stealing in a serious way” and abused “a great trust” people placed in her.
Judge Nolan acknowledged the victims had been compensated by the credit union’s insurance company and Butterly has since fully compensated them in turn. He accepted there was “clear mitigation” in the case including guilty pleas, remorse and sincere shame.
Judge Nolan said: “Rush is a rural area and she has been living there since these events, probably as a social pariah.
“It goes without saying she has serious health problems and prison will be much more difficult for her because of this.”
He accepted it is highly unlikely Butterly will re-offend and she is no threat to society.
Judge Nolan added: “Does she deserve a custodial term by reason of her culpability? To steal from your employer, friends and neighbours is an extremely serious matter.
“To say it was a huge misjudgment is an understatement.”
He said he believes Butterly deserves to go to prison “unfortunately” for general deterrence and to punish her.
The judge added: “Nobody can behave in this way and not go to prison.”
Det Garda Michael Owens had earlier told prosecutor Aoife O’leary in March 2016, gardai were contacted by Rush
Credit Union after significant financial irregularities were discovered.
Butterly was in a trusted role and volunteers, who acted as signatures for signing cheques, had no concerns about signing blank cheques for her.
Det Gda Owens said she had “a high degree of control”.
The detective added a number of the cheques were used to pay creditors of Butterly’s husband’s company including Bord Gais, suppliers and revenue. He was a vegetable grower who had hit difficult times.
The offending also involved the transfer of money “to fill holes” and “hide the thefts”.
Butterly was interviewed and co-operated fully with the investigation. She has no previous convictions.
Det Gda Owens said the individual members impacted by the thefts have been compensated by the credit union’s insurance company.
Victim impact statements were handed into court but not read out.
Det Owens agreed with defence lawyer Andrew Sexton that Butterly’s husband’s family lands have since been sold and €865,000 has been paid back to the credit union’s insurers.
It was also accepted her health has deteriorated since her arrest in 2020.
Mr Sexton outlined those health problems to Judge Nolan and said since 2016, Butterly has had a number of falls which led to fractures and hospitalisations.
He said there has also been psychological impacts on his client and a medical report concluded she is a person in need of full-time care.
Mr Sexton handed in a reference from a neighbour and a reverend.
Counsel said his client instructed him to give a full apology and acknowledged that this is “a community matter”.
He added it was “a clear and outrageous breach of trust”.
Mr Sexton said his client’s husband’s company got into trouble and “she props it up, possibly under the fantasy that it will all be paid back”.
He added the business failed and everything had to be sold. The couple have no children and are both ill.
Mr Sexton said: “Seven years have gone by and she has lived in that community, 100% under cloud.
“She comes to this court with her hands up and a full apology.”