Sanctions for music teacher who fraudulently claimed €184k in social welfare

French national, who was jailed in 2018, was the subject of a Fitness to Teach inquiry

Daniel Alexandre Daudet. Picture: RTE

A music teacher who used fake identities and false tenancy agreements to fraudulently claim €184,000 in social welfare payments is to be sanctioned by the Teaching Council.

Daniel Alexandre Daudet, a French national, was the subject of a fitness to teach inquiry on Thursday.

This inquiry involves a panel representing the Teaching Council, which decides on sanctions against accused teachers, including their removal from the teaching register.

Mr Daudet worked as a music teacher in a South Dublin private school from 2011 to 2015.

He was jailed in 2018 after he was convicted of offences related to using a false identity to dishonestly claim welfare payments over a period of approximately 12 years.

Mr Daudet did not attend proceedings on Thursday but the panel was satisfied that every effort was made to make him aware that it was taking place. He did appear at a preliminary hearing back in September.

The inquiry heard that Mr Daudet obtained a PPS number in 2002 using an altered French national ID card under the name ‘Alexandre Daude’.

He used this PPS number to claim unemployment assistance, now known as Jobseekers Allowance, from 2002 to 2015. Under the name of ‘Alexandre Daude’, he also claimed rent supplement from 2004 to 2015.

False tenancy agreements

He created false tenancy agreements with fictitious landlords in order to obtain some of these payments from the Department of Social Welfare, the inquiry heard.

From 2002 to 2015, he claimed €184,000, through claims for jobseekers allowance, rent allowance, and other payments and allowances, the inquiry heard.

In 2015, a fraud investigator in the Department of Social Protection uncovered the false claims and payments.

The matter was brought to the attention of gardaí, and Mr Daudet was the subject of an extensive Garda investigation.

He was found guilty on over 700 counts under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice Act, Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001 following a trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A letter from Mr Daudet, dated October 15, 2018, submitted to the Teaching Council was read to the inquiry.

In his letter, he said that he approached the Department of Social Protection when he first became aware it had suspicions he may have obtained payments illegally and offered to set up repayments. This was a year before his trial, he maintained.

He would have been able to repay what he owed, had he not been charged with fraud. Instead, he lost his job after he was charged, and has since repaid €10,000.

Cost to taxpayer

There has been a sizeable cost to the taxpayer in prosecuting him, he wrote, in the form of €175,000 debt he cannot pay after losing his job, €60,000 in prison fees each year, €50,000 in legal aid fees, €30,000 for an appeal, and €50,000 fees for the prosecution.

“At 41 years old, I gained a strong reputation as a respected educator and the references given at trial attest to this," he said.

"All my employers and my students speak highly of me.

“The Teaching Council and the investigating committee has the power to grant me a second chance and put my skills back to work.”

Following deliberations, the panel found that the allegations against Mr Daudet were proven.

A full report will be circulated to Mr Daudet as soon as possible. He will be given the chance to seek an oral hearing in relation to sanction.

The fitness to teach inquiry will meet in December to decide on his sanction.