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A Meath insurance broker who carried out a €109,000 life insurance fraud has been ordered to perform 240 hours of unpaid work in the community in addition to a four-year suspended sentence.
Clare Dooley (43) committed the offences following a failed business venture in 2011.
The former financial adviser later founded Drogheda-based company Moneybloom which offered to help restructure loans for those in mortgage distress.
Dooley, of Hillcrest, Julianstown, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 10 counts of making and using false declaration forms at New Ireland Assurance plc, Dawson Street, Dublin, and in the State between November 23rd, 2010, and September 27th, 2011. She has no previous convictions.
She took out 38 fictitious policies in order to be paid commission totalling €109,000.
The insurance company has since been repaid the money and nobody is at a loss.
On-air adviser
Between 2001 and 2014, Dooley spoke regularly on NewsTalk radio on personal finance issues, advising callers on debt and other financial issues.
Judge Desmond Hogan had indicated last October he would give Dooley a four-year suspended sentence and order her to carry out community service should the Probation Service find her suitable. He adjourned the finalisation of the sentence to Monday, pending a probation report.
Judge Hogan retired last month and on Monday Judge Martin Nolan received a favourable probation report.
He confirmed Judge Hogan’s order, imposing a four-year sentence which he suspended in full on conditionDooley carry out the community service within 12 months.
He noted from Lorcan Staines BL, defending, that Dooley was awaiting a medical certificate to confirm she was fit to carry out the work.
The judge said if she was not medically fit, the suspended sentence still stood.
Judge Hogan commented at the sentence hearing last October that Dooley’s reputation had been “sullied to a considerable extent” and she was unlikely to come before the courts again.