Judge lauds AIB’s ‘generosity’ in mum-of-12 cheque forgery scam

A judge has praised AIB for taking a hit on €18,000 worth of cheques stolen from an elderly couple by a mother-of-12 who used the money to buy Christmas presents for her children.

Separated mum Maria Foley, aged 40, from Bishopscourt Road in Bishopstown, Cork, was given a four-year sentence yesterday on each of three counts of theft, forgery and obtaining money by false pretences.

But Judge Patrick Moran suspended the sentences on the grounds it would only harm her children for her to be jailed, despite the serious nature of the offences.