Man spared criminal conviction for dole fraud while working at Garda HQ

Denis Curran had never been in trouble before and he was “deeply ashamed”.

Fri, 11 Dec, 2020 - 14:29

Tom Tuite

A Dublin man has been spared a criminal conviction for fraudulently claiming the dole while working as a civilian employee at Garda headquarters.

Denis Curran, aged 57, with an address at Dunard Avenue, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to 11 counts of theft and two charges under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act for making false declarations.

Garda Sergeant Bryan Hunt said that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed summary disposal of the case at district court level. After hearing an outline of the allegations, Judge Bryan Smyth had accepted jurisdiction.

The court was told that on 11 occasions over 2019, Curran was granted social welfare benefits and twice on a date in August last year he made false declarations to the department.

He did not disclose that he had been working as a civilian member of staff at the Garda HQ in the Phoenix Park, and at Mountjoy Garda station in Dublin city centre, Garda Sergeant Hunt said.

The court heard he obtained €2,466. Garda Sergeant Hunt had agreed that Curran had cooperated with the investigation.

Construction worker Curran had lost his job during the economic crash in 2008.

He sent out CVs and got some general labour work at Garda HQ.

Pleading for leniency, defence solicitor Michael Kelleher said his client has repaid all the money, which was deducted from his social welfare payments. He had never been in trouble before and he was “deeply ashamed”.

Mr Kelleher said Curran had some debts and made a bad decision which had a ripple effect. He had taken the case very seriously and did everything he could to address the case in a proper fashion.

Judge Smyth gave him the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act.