Deceived woman into lodging €250 in cash into ATM

A DUBLIN con woman, who was described as a “money mule” for others has been placed on a Probation Bond for a year, at Sligo District Court.

Jessica Corcoran, 23, from Crosscare, Amiens Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to a charge that she dishonestly by deception induced Dorothy Burns to lodge €250 into Corcoran’s bank account at the PTSB on O’Connell Street, Sligo, on September 29, 2018.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that the injured party told Garda Fahy that she saw an ad on DoneDeal about tickets for YouTube star Jacksepticeye in October 2018. She got a text message from a man saying she could get the tickets if she lodged €250 in the name of Jessica Brennan in the PTSB.

This was done – but there were no tickets, and the man was not contactable.

Garda Fahy discovered that the money was held in an account of the defendant’s. The defendant was arrested on July 19, 2019, and made some admissions.

The court heard the defendant had four previous offences for money laundering – all “of a small nature”. Defence solicitor Mark Mullaney said there was €250 compensation in court for the injured party.

The solicitor said his client was nervous and anxious. “Why all this trickery?’ asked Judge Kevin Kilrane. The probation report on the defendant stated that she had lost her way in life after difficulties with her mother. She became homeless and fell in with a man who was the main mover behind this scam.

Her bank account was used to extract money and while she was getting a small amount, she “knew what she was doing”, said Mr Mullaney.

The defendant was under the influence of this man but has nothing to do with him any more. He profited from the matter.

The defendant was a mother-of-one, had got her life back and had an interview for a job coming up. Brennan would be willing to do community service, the court heard.

The probation officer believed she was a high risk of re-offending, but that would be rectified if she continued to engage with the service.

She had come from Dublin with her father to repay the injured party.

Judge Kilrane said the defendant had a topsy turvy life and others used her as a money mule. Her bank account was used to launder money. The judge said she was vulnerable and was a small cog in a big wheel but without the small cogs the big wheel can’t turn.

The judge imposed a Probation Bond for a year on her own bond of €100 on condition that she attend all meetings, avail of counselling and tell the Probation Service of any change of address or telephone number.

The compensation was to be paid to the injured party within a month.