A Cork man who on 11 separate occasions claimed social welfare benefit using his brother’s name and card at Ballyhaunis Post Office, pleaded guilty to all 11 charges in Ballyhaunis District Court this week. Patrick Ward of 31 Blueberry Field, Broomfiled, Middleton, Co Cork, stole €2,247.30 in benefits over the course of 11 weeks before he was caught red handed by gardaí.
Garda Martin Mitchell told the court that on 11 separate dates from January 2009 to April 2009, Ward collected €204.30 a week in benefits from the post office using his brother’s card. His brother had left the country at the time and was living in England. Garda Mitchell told the court that the gardaí were informed of the suspicions of the Department of Social Welfare and they set up a surveillance operation on the post office on April 4 2009. They stopped Ward as he came out of the post office after he collected €204.30 that week, which was recovered by the gardaí. The court was told that Ward had a number of previous convictions, one of which had a suspended sentence attached which was still active. Judge Devins released Ward on bail to appear at Middleton District Court where the judge who imposed the suspended sentence will have to make a decision before Judge Devins can impose a sentence.
