Fraudster Catherine O’Brien failed to repay money to estate of elderly woman she scammed of €250,000

O'Brien convinced Waterford woman Marie O’Shea to lend her the money and has not repaid it, despite a court ordering her to repay the estate almost €300,000

An enforcement order was made by Judge Terence Finn in Dungarvan District Court in December 2019 that O’Brien pay a total of €290,184.72 to the estate of the late Marie O’Shea, from Stradbally in Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan

A court order requiring convicted fraudster Catherine O’Brien to clear a debt judgement of almost €300,000 to the estate of a woman she had persuaded to give several loans remains unenforced.

O’Brien, who has an address in An Ghrianan, Ballinroad, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, was sentenced on Wednesday in Waterford Circuit Court to 25 months in prison, after being convicted in July of three charges of deception relating to the purchase, transport, and insurance of a French mare. Her sentence is back-dated to July.

Following her sentencing, the daughter of Waterford woman Marie O’Shea has spoken out about efforts her family has made to recover loans given to O’Brien by the late Mrs O’Shea.

Róisín O’Shea said: “Catherine took on a daughter-like role, inserting herself into my mother’s life daily, portraying herself as kind and loving while convincing this vulnerable woman who lived alone to hand over almost €250,000.” 

A High Court judgment was made in June 2009 after legal proceedings were taken by Mrs O’Shea when efforts to have the loans repaid to her failed.

An enforcement order was made by Judge Terence Finn in Dungarvan District Court in December 2019 that O’Brien pay a total of €290,184.72 to the estate of the late Marie O’Shea, from Stradbally in Waterford. The payment was to be made in weekly instalments of €10,000, according to the court order.

The debt arose from loans given to Catherine O’Brien over 17 months by Mrs O’Shea. She died in 2016, and efforts to have the loans and interest repaid to her before her death failed.

Róisín O’Shea said she became aware of the extent of the funds loaned to Catherine O’Brien by her mother in 2009 when Marie O’Shea confided in her. 

She still held a belief that Catherine was her friend and would give her back her money. When the reality hit, that Catherine would not repay her, my mother was devastated. This proud, fiercely independent woman was unable to process the extent of the betrayal.

Efforts by the estate of Ms O’Shea to have the money repaid have also failed.

The loans were given to O’Brien by cheque, bank transfer, and cash lodgements between June 2007 and November 2008 by Mrs O’Shea.

The High Court ordered a total of €289,194.47 be paid to Mrs O’Shea by O’Brien to include the balance due to her from the loans, as well as costs, expenses, and interest.

An affidavit in the High Court case, seen by the Irish Examiner, stated Mrs O’Shea had been influenced by the attention, affection, and time given to her by O’Brien.

A judgment was made in O’Brien’s absence on December 4, 2019, at Dungarvan District Court, that she pay the amount from 2009 to the estate of the late Ms O’Shea.

The order declared failure to make a payment may lead to a further summons being issued against her to attend the district court, “which may lead to your being arrested and imprisoned for a period of up to three months”.

However, the money has not been repaid to date, as the summons server was unable to serve the instalment order on O’Brien.

The case was due back before the district court in mid-2021, but O’Brien failed to appear. The court was told her whereabouts at that point were unknown.