Killarney man cons pensioner

A YOUNG Killarney man who helped to con an 80-year-old home owner in County Wexford was told to come up with €1,000 for his victim.

The address of 25-year-old Mark Hopkins was given as 175 Ballyspillane in Killarney.

Wexford District Court heard how he was one of a group who approached the woman in January of 2015.

They persuaded her that work needed to be done at the premises and required some payment up front.

A cheque which she gave them was cashed but no work was ever carried out at the home in Fethard-on-Sea in south County Wexford.

Defending solicitor Colette Culleton stressed the money had since been repaid.

She said that her client was homeless at the time of the offence but was now living with his fiancée and in full-time employment.

Judge Gerard Haughton pointed out that taking advantage of an elderly person was a serious offence.

He noted Hopkins’s plea of guilty but also took account of the fact that the defendant was on bail at the time.

A nine month sentence was recorded to be suspended once the accused agreed to carry our 120 hours of community service.

It was a further condition of the suspension that he must pay €1,000 to the householder to mark the distress and upset cause.

The case was adjourned until December 19, with half of the money to be produced on that date.