Suspended sentence for bank official who falsified documents

A BUNCLODY woman who pleaded guilty to falsifying documents totalling €85,000 at Permanent TSB in Gorey had been handed a 14-month suspended prison sentence.

Lisa Redmond (38), of Graiguebeg, Bunclody, Co. Wexford, had already pleaded guilty before Judge Cormac Quinn at a sitting of Wexford circuit Criminal Court.

She pleaded guilty to dishonestly debiting €85,000 from the cash reserve account, along with falsifying a document in order to inflate the figure for the ATM cash reserve hold in the branch by €80,000 and inflating the previous day’s balance by €5000.

It was previously heard that the defendant was responsible for the loss of €74,600 sustained by Permanent TSB.

Sgt Ian Hayes told the court that there was a shortfall of funds in Permanent TSB in Gorey where the defendant worked as assistant manager.

There was an extensive garda investigation on April 7, 2016 relating to a €74,600 shortfall on January 7, 2015. He said that a cash holdall bag played an extensive role in hiding the shortfall.

Sgt Hayes explained to the court the bag was used to store damaged and destroyed notes that were not fit for recirculation. At one stage, the figure of €85,000 was written on the outside of the bag. However, an audit was carried out and the contents of the bag was examined, revealing the amount of cash in the bag to be €10,400 - leaving a shortfall of €74,600.

Sgt Hayes told the court that the defendant later met with the branch manager Padraig Ronan along with the regional manager. At that meeting the defendant said she had done it to protect the staff, adding, that she had discovered the shortfall and to protect the staff she decided to cover up the loss. She also said that she was not aware who was responsible for the money and who took it.

Defence Counsel Philip Sheahan said it was an extensive investigation but that the investigation revealed no evidence of personal gain for Ms Redmond.

Replying to Mr Sheahan, Sgt Hayes said the defendant gave every co-operation with the investigation. He also said there was an early plea of guilty with the defendant coming from a highly respected family. She had no previous convictions and had not come to the attention of gardai since.

In evidence, Lisa Redmond said she began working for Permanent TSB in 1998, moving to the Gorey branch in early 2000. It was in September, 2010, she was aware of the matter of a significant financial hole in the accounts of the bank and she effectively deceived her employers of this.

She was assistant manager and tried to protect the staff but had no idea of where the money had gone. Her first reaction was to think of the staff as she had worked there from around 2000 to 2010. Prior to this nothing had ever arose, she said.

In court she apologised for what had happened, apologised to the manager, admitting she had made a mistake. She also apologised to her fellow employees, the gardai and her family. She apologised to her family as it has been a very difficult time for them. At the moment, she said, she is not working but wants to get back to full employment.

Judge Cormac Quinn said the headline sentence for such an offence was two years and nine months, but given the various mitigating factors, he imposed a 14-month suspended sentence.