Surveillance cameras were installed by gardai and An Post officials to catch a clerk involved in what was called "systematic siphoning" of money from a post office. Anita Walsh (27), a mother of two, formerly of Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was given a twoyear suspended sentence after she pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 charges.
Walsh admitted stealing £2,324 in cash and social welfare books, and forging social welfare vouchers on dates between February and March, 1995, at Tallaght Post Office.
Judge Kevin Haugh ordered that £2,324 be paid to An Post out of £3,000 offered by Walsh and the balance to be paid out to the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Det Garda Fergus O'Donnell told prosecuting counsel, Mr Maurice Gaffney SC, that An Post officials noted irregularities involving payments to people who had left the State and handed back their social welfare books.
Walsh stole replacement child allowance and lone parents' allowance books which were inadvertently sent by the printers to the post office. Surveillance cameras were installed to pinpoint the culprit and when arrested vouchers were found in Walsh's handbag and books in her car.
Defence counsel Mr Patrick Gageby SC said his client had suffered two miscarriages around the time of the offences. She had also experienced bad health as a child and was not working fulltime in the home. He believed the court could deal with her noncustodially.
Judge Haugh said Walsh would never again work in a position of trust. There was nothing to be gained by jailing her and severing her from her two young children though normally people who defrauded in her way should go to prison.