A security man who stole goods and diesel worth more than €3,000 from Dawn Dairies and then de-frauded the State of €10,527 worth in social welfare payments has been jailed for 20 months in the Galway District Court.
After hearing details of the “methodical, cynical, and deliberate” fraud, Judge Mary Fahy urged the Department of Social Welfare to tighten up its systems so that dishonest people cannot produce false documents and claim payments.
Alexandr Loukianenko (40 ) with an address at 134 Castlelawn Heights, appeared before Judge Fahy yesterday and pleaded guilty to a number of thefts from Dawn Dairies, Renmore, and to using false documentation at the Department of Social Welfare, Augustine Street, Galway. He was also charged with possession of a false driving licence, having no insurance, and no driving licence.
Garda Pat Foley gave evidence that on November 27, 2008, he received a call from the manager of Dawn Dairies, Joe Ryan. Garda Foley viewed CCTV footage from November 15, 22, and 27 which showed the defendant entering the store room and removing stock. He added that Loukianenko had been sub-contracted from Custodian Security and only had authority to be in the forecourts and in “certain areas” of the two main buildings.
A surveillance operation was put in place and on December 13 Garda Foley observed the defendant on CCTV entering the cold room and putting stock in the rear of his own vehicle. Loukianenko then waited until his supervisor had come to check on him at 9pm before leaving with the goods. He was followed by an unmarked car and stopped at Ashbrook housing estate where €200 worth of goods was found. The defendant gave a false name and produced a driving licence.
Loukianenko, a Russian national, admitted having eight to nine customers, all eastern Europeans, whom he would meet at the Clybaun Hotel and sell the goods at “cut rate”.
The defendant had also been siphoning off diesel from vehicles belonging to Dawn Dairies and put it in his own car; since August 1, 2007, he had siphoned approximately €2,000 worth of diesel.
In January 2009 Garda Foley was informed that defendant had opened four separate claims between February 2007 and December 2008. During each claim he produced a false Irish provisional driving licence and a false Lithuanian passport. The court heard that the name on these documents belonged to a real person who had returned to his country but sold his social security number and passport to the defendant for €500. A search of the defendant’s house was carried out on December 21, however a number of friends had got rid of any documents connecting him to this crime.
“It’s scandalous. Not alone was he working but he was able to get social welfare payments he is not entitled to on four occasions. The system obviously needs a huge overhaul. People who are genuinely entitled to it are waiting four months and queuing outside on the streets in front of national cameras while this man can go in and succeed in his claims.
“He was part of a racket. This the worst and most cynical fraud I have ever heard in this court... He was doing security for himself,” said Judge Fahy.
The court heard how the defendant had been in the country since 2001 but had been illegal since 2003 and had been using another identity.
Defence solicitor Olivia Traynor later handed in €3,000 to offer as compensation to Dawn Dairies.
Judge Fahy imposed a total sentence of 20 months and a two year disqualification from driving. She also commended Garda Foley for his work.
