Civil servant passed information to PIs for more than €20,000

A civil servant was paid more than €20,000 for stealing and passing on confidential information on hundreds of people to private investigators, a court has heard.

Rory Lenihan (50), a former Department of Social Welfare clerical officer, pleaded guilty to 12 sample charges at Letterkenny Circuit Court. The stolen information about welfare recipients was then passed on to banks and solicitors' offices.

Alex Owens SC, prosecuting, said Lenihan was accused of a total of 41 charges, and a sum of €21,898 was involved.

The court heard that in September 2010, Lenihan’s supervisor Paul Bradley became suspicious of his behaviour when he stayed at his desk and used the phone during his lunch-break. The computer system, known as Infosys, required a username and a special password for employees to log into.

Mr Bradley informed his supervisor Des Kernan and an internal investigation commenced. This involved looking up the files Lenihan was checking as well as cross-referencing the phone numbers he was calling.

When approached, Lenihan admitted he was passing on information and receiving payments in return. This had gone on between January 2008 and October 2010.

In total, Lenihan, of Ballaghderg, Letterkenny, received €23 for information on each person, with the money paid in lump sums to his Ulster Bank account. He was paid by private two investigators – a John Buckley, based on the Navan Road in Dublin, and a Brian Foy, with a business address in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

Det Garda Peter Cullen said the investigation was a complex one which he had been working on for between three and four years. He said Lenihan’s bank records from the time suggested he faced various financial difficulties.

Very law-abiding

The accused man’s sister Maria told the court the family was very law-abiding and had never been in trouble. They were supporting their brother as he was a good man, a good father and a good person who had made a mistake. The court heard Mr Lenihan had no previous convictions.

Barrister Peter Nolan, defending, said his client was the only one before the court despite the fact two others were directly involved and the information had been passed on to various financial institutions.

“I will ask you to view him not as a criminal but as a man who has committed a stupid criminal act for what – for €21,000? These were the actions of a desperate man in financial straits. I don’t see what would be achieved in sending him to jail,” said Mr Nolan.

Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case until Friday for sentencing.