Man who claimed over €167k in fraudulent social welfare payments avoids jail

A man who claimed over €167,000 in fraudulent social welfare payments has avoided a jail term to allow him to continue to assist in caring for his disabled sister.

Gerard Lawlor (67) of Balrothery, Tallaght, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 sample counts of stealing social welfare payments from the Department of Social Protection between 2005 and 2015.