Cork woman jailed for taking €22k from recently deceased cousin's credit union account

When reference was made to her relationship with her late cousin, the accused said: 'We were very close, your honour.'

Detective Garda Brian O’Connor said the accused wore a covid mask and head scarf and presented herself in the name of her dead relative at Synergy credit union in Fermoy on December 22, 2022, and effectively closed the account and withdrew over €21,900 that was in it.

A 60-year-old woman presented herself in the name of her 77-year-old cousin who had just died and withdrew everything from the dead woman’s credit union account – just over €21,900 – and on Wednesday she was jailed for nine months.

60-year-old Sheila Ahern of Liam Burke Terrace, Ballyhooly, Co Cork was sentenced to 18 months with half of it suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.