A mother of one who committed a fraud involving almost €99,000 has had her sentence adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to allow the State to consider psychiatric reports presented by the defence.
Claire Mahon (25), Bailis Downs, Athlumney, Navan, Co Meath, was a "compulsive shopper" who "frittered" the money away on clothes and perfume, the court was told.
Mahon pleaded guilty to 96 sample counts of forgery and theft from her employer, Autoglass Ltd, Calmount Business Park, Ballymount Industrial Estate, Dublin, between February 8th, 2002, and February 20th, 2004. Det Garda Derek Brazil told the court that Mahon worked in the accounts payable department of Autoglass Ltd since November 2001. She forged the signatures of two colleagues on cheques having made them payable to herself and then wrote a supplier's name on the counterfoil of the cheque book. She then entered the cheque details and amount under the name of different suppliers in the account books.
Judge Bryan McMahon said it was a "very difficult case" and granted an application from the State to adjourn the case to allow them consider the reports. He remanded Mahon on continuing bail to next May for sentence.
The court heard a company bookkeeper became suspicious when a supplier told him in May 2004 that they were still waiting for a cheque from Autoglass. Further investigation revealed that a cheque had been issued from the amount on the supplier's invoice but it was never paid to the them.
They then discovered a number of cheques appeared to have been paid to suppliers, but the money never actually went to the companies.
Det Garda Brazil said Mahon's home was searched in July that year. She made a voluntary statement admitting her involvement and co-operated with gardaí.
Anne Rowland told the judge that her client was a compulsive shopper who frittered away the money on perfume and clothes. She said Mahon would benefit from further counselling.