A separated mother who stole €18,000 from the bookmakers where she worked, when she ran into financial difficulties after her marriage ended, is to be considered for community service after repaying the money.
Jennifer Good (39), Huntersrun, Clonee, Co Meath, stamped blank betting dockets when she was alone in Pat McManus's bookmakers in Littlepace Shopping Centre in Clonee, later filling in winning details and collecting cash. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of theft between November 2004 and June 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt referred the case to the Probation Service to assess Good's suitability for community service.
Garda Peter Cooney told Seán Guerin BL, prosecuting, that the thefts came to light when Good's employer, Brian Murray, saw her put a betting docket through the system when she was alone in the shop. Garda Cooney said Mr Murray decided to do an audit and found 180 suspicious dockets. These bets had all been placed while Good was on duty and had all been settled by Good. He also noted that the dockets were all in pristine condition, which was unusual.
The dates on the dockets ranged from November 2004, when Good started work in the shop, to June 2005 and approximately €18,000 was taken in total.
Garda Cooney said Good readily admitted the thefts when arrested and fully co-operated with gardaí.
Good told gardaí she was paid €80 a day and began stamping blank dockets after a security camera was removed.
She said she would stamp the docket, fill the winning details in later and collect cash. Good would put through two or three dockets every day she worked and had taken up to €300 a time.
Garda Cooney said Good had no previous convictions and was separated from her husband with whom she had two young children.
Luan Ó Braonáin SC, defending, said Good had had difficulties with maintenance payments from her husband, which had now been resolved, and had run into arrears in the mortgage and other bills.
Mr Ó Braonáin said she had collected €18,000 from various sources to repay her employer and felt shame for her actions. He said she was unlikely to come to Garda attention again.