Woman (56) bailed after receiving fraud proceeds

A Dublin grandmother who claimed her ex-partner used her bank account to hold €2,500 “misappropriated” from a Trinity College hardship fund has been remanded on bail pending sentence.

Annmarie Hearns (56), of Cromcastle Court, Kilmore West, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to possessing crime proceeds.

Dublin District Court heard that her account was one of 260 to have received money after a fraud at the university.

Garda Grainne Collier told Judge Paula Murphy that the case stemmed from an investigation into the misappropriation of funds from Trinity College’s hardship fund. She said a staff member transferred money to 260 different accounts.

Gardaí identified Hearns as one of the account holders. The court was told that two €1,250 transfers to her bank were made on September 15 and October 8, 2020.

She had never come to garda attention before and had no prior criminal convictions.

The officer agreed with defence solicitor Andrew Molony that Hearns was fully co-operative.

The court was told that she explained that her former partner had asked to use her account to lodge money “from a cash job” because his account was overdrawn.

She let him, but the garda agreed she had no criminal intent.

Pleading for leniency, the solicitor described the situation as heartbreaking and said the woman had never been in court before.

He said she suffered from health problems and was on disability allowance. She brought €500 to court but did not have access to large sums of money.

The solicitor said she hoped to travel to America with family members, but the court was told that a conviction could present an issue for her.

Mr Molony said Hearns trusted her former partner, who asked to use her account.

The money brought to court by the accused was handed over. Judge Murphy noted the mitigation plea and that the garda accepted the explanation. She adjourned to finalise the case until November.

Other proceedings arising from the wider fraud investigation have heard that just over €460,000 was taken from the college hardship fund and shifted to various accounts.

The garda probe has resulted in several court prosecutions.