A woman who defrauded the Department of Social Welfare of nearly £40,000 over a seven-year period has been ordered to do 150 hours' community service by Judge Elizabeth Dunne. Judge Dunne said Catherine Stevenson (42) must do the community service within the next year or face a 12-month jail sentence.
Stevenson, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight counts of obtaining cheques by falsely pretending she was Ms Catherine McCabe, with intent to defraud the Department between October 1993 and April 2000.
"Social welfare fraud costs the State huge sums of money. The State is at a loss and every taxpayer in the country has to make up that loss and I can't ignore that entirely," said Judge Dunne.
"It will take forever to discharge the debt and at first glance this would appear to be an appropriate case to impose a custodial sentence, but this would cost the State even more money. The Probation and Welfare Services have deemed the accused a suitable person to do community service and they have indicated that there is work available for her. Another important consideration in this is that she has no previous convictions."
Det Garda John Stack told Mr Damian Colgan, prosecuting, that he was contacted in April 2000 by a social welfare fraud investigator and that Stevenson had come to his attention.
In 1993 Ms McCabe, a neighbour of Stevenson, moved to England and entrusted her lone parent's allowance book to the accused woman. Stevenson claimed £100 to £120 on a weekly basis for many years without coming to the attention of the authorities. She even received the new allowance books when they were issued. In total she unlawfully claimed £39,257.
Garda Stack agreed Stevenson did it the first time because she needed the money. After this it became easier each time. She received her own weekly social welfare allowance of €180 to provide for herself and two teenage children. She was also trying to pay off a money lender.
Garda Stack said Stevenson showed no signs of wealth and was co-operative when interviewed.
Judge Dunne said the weekly amounts added up over the years. Stevenson was willing to have a €20 deduction to help compensate the Department but the reality was it would take forever to pay back the money.