Year in jail for duping €2,400 out of victims

A Done Deal “scam artist” who duped six victims to part with €2,400, including one man to pay €160 for two fictitious Adele tickets, has been jailed for one year.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan said that Liam Casey, aged 27, of Springfield Drive, Celbridge, Co Kildare, had abused the trust of his six victims.

Casey is currently serving a sentence in jail for a previous offence and is studying psychology in prison.

Insp Tom Kennedy said Casey has 51 previous convictions, including eight for theft-deception type offences, and is due for release in April of next year.

However, Judge Durcan said the 12-month sentence he imposed is consecutive to the sentence Casey is currently serving.

Casey’s modus operandi in the cases before Ennis court was to respond to wanted ads placed by individuals on the Done Deal website.

In one case, Casey responded on January 14 this year to an ad placed by Karl Brennan for two Adele tickets. Casey said he had the tickets and asked Mr Brennan to transfer €160 to Casey’s account. Mr Brennan transferred the money but never got the tickets.

Casey also duped Austin McCardle into parting with €1,100 in relation to the promise of two cars that did not exist; and tricked Shaun Murray into transferring into Casey’s account €500 for car parts that did not exist. He also tricked Sonya Syc into parting with €250 after he agreed to move her mobile home, which he did not do.

Insp Kennedy said no compensation has been paid to any of the victims and there was none in court.

Solicitor for Casey, John Casey — no relation — said his client “has manned up” and has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Judge Durcan said Casey’s crimes would have dented the self-confidence of his victims: “Not a penny of their hard-earned money is repaid. There is nothing in this case supportive of the defendant.”