Fraudster tells court he stole only from banks

A man convicted of fraud who was jailed for six years told Judge Cyril Kelly that he had no sympathy for banks because they were…

A man convicted of fraud who was jailed for six years told Judge Cyril Kelly that he had no sympathy for banks because they were under investigation over illegal offshore accounts.

Daniel Reidy, who had admitted using stolen cheques to defraud banks, said he stole only from banks and not from people.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Reidy had been in institutions for 30 years and had a longstanding grievance against the banks, which he blamed for depriving him of a large sum of money.

Judge Kelly noted that Reidy was called "Irish Dan" while living in London and seemed to have become addicted to crime.

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Reidy (48), of Village Square, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty to attempting to defraud Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin, of £4,000 on March 30th, 1998. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain £18,500 by fraud from an AIB branch in Terenure, Dublin, and other sums from Ulster Bank, College Street, Dublin; AIB, Clonskeagh, Dublin; the National Irish Bank, College Green, Dublin; and AIB, Dundrum, Dublin, on various dates.

Reidy also admitted having cocaine with a street value of £200. He had 44 previous convictions dating back to 1969.

Judge Kelly said Reidy's criminal record was "a plague" but noted prison reports which described him as a model prisoner.

The judge added that Reidy has spent nearly 60 per cent of his life in institutions and it was doubtful if full rehabilitation could ever be possible. He ordered a review of sentence in one year.

Ms Pauline Walley, prosecuting, said the gang which employed Reidy might have used records in the Companies Office to find names of people to whom cheques should be made payable. Another person had been charged with obtaining a key to a post box in Tallaght with intent to steal.

The court heard Garda evidence that Reidy first tried to use a stolen bank draft in a bank in Montrose, Dublin, before producing a forged driving licence as identification at the bank in College Green.

Reidy was given a 14-month and a nine-month sentence for forgery and larceny committed while on bail for the offences before the court.

Ms Marie Torrens, defending, said Reidy was being used by a criminal conspiracy which involved a gang which intercepted cheques in the post and tried to pass them off in banks.

Reidy told Judge Kelly he had a long-standing grievance with the banks. He had been given a cheque for £21,000 through a trust fund from a benefactor he had never met but who he believed was one of his absent parents. He claimed the banks had taken the £21,000 away from him in circumstances which were still being investigated.