Elderly woman duped out of thousands of euro

The district court has been told how an 84-yearold woman had thousands of euro stolen from her.

She was persuaded to hand over money, with the promise that she would get a greater sum back.

The victim is out a total of €5,500, and would have been down a further €3,000, were it not for alert staff in the local branch of the Ulster Bank.

Before Judge Coughlan was English man, Gary Martin (47), with an address in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire.

He admitted charges of stealing €5,500 at Boyd’s car park on 15 January, 2018, and a further charge of deception, by inducing the victim to provide an amount of cash with the intention of making gain for himself or another.

He was apprehended when calling to the woman to collect the €3,000. Gardaí were waiting, after being tipped off by the bank.

Evidence was given that the bank manager became suspicious when the lady sought to withdraw €3,000 from her account.

When he asked why, she became sheepish. The guards were alerted, and it was decided to keep the arrangement.

Sgt Fintan McGroder said the elderly victim thought she was doing Martin a good turn, because she was under the impression he had a wife and sick child.

Solicitor Conor McGuill, representing the accused, said the lady foolishly accepted over the phone were she to advance a sum of money, she would get a greater sum in return.

She had been ‘sold a pig in the poke’ by someone else.

There were no threats of violence, on behalf of his client, Mr. McGuill continued.

An alcoholic, Martin was drinking ‘in a doss house situation’, and useful to other people behind this, because he was an amenable person, who could go to the door and collect the money.

He has no support or address in this jurisdiction, having arrived here at the invitation of other people.

The money was landed over to his ‘employers’. He has been in custody since 16 January. Judge Coughlan remarked this was ‘ a sordid crime on an old lady.’

He sentenced Gary Martin to nine months imprisonment, back-dated to 16 January last.