An Post agent charged with stealing pension payments
At Kilrush District Court, Maureen Walsh, aged 56, of the Lighthouse Inn, Kilbaha on the Loop Head peninsula in west Clare, appeared in connection with 36 charges concerning the theft of over €12,400 from An Post and five old-age pensioners.
Ms Walsh’s solicitor, Joseph Chambers, told the court yesterday that his client would be entering a guilty plea to all of the counts.
Insp Kieran Ruane told the court that Ms Walsh operated the Kilbaha Postal Agency for An Post, where it was her job to distribute social welfare payments to social welfare customers in her area.
Insp Ruane said that in relation to two pensioners, Ms Walsh withheld 22 Department of Social Welfare payments of €4,198.
Further sums were with-held from three other pensioners totalling hundreds of euro.
In addition, Ms Walsh is to plead guilty to a separate charge of stealing €8,250 directly from Austin Dunne of An Post over a three year period from May 10, 2013, to March 8, 2016.
Insp Ruane said: “This amount was never returned to An Post and Ms Walsh’s position was terminated.”
The names of the five pensioners are not in the charge sheets.
Insp Ruane said that Ms Walsh has no previous convictions and her role with An Post was terminated when the offences came to light.
After hearing an outline of the facts, Judge Patrick Durcan said that he would hear the case in his own court.
Mr Chambers said his client was anxious for the matter to be disposed of as quickly as possible.
He asked for a three month adjournment to allow him gather full evidence for the sentencing hearing.
Judge Durcan also ordered that a probation report be carried out on Ms Walsh for the sentencing date.
The judge also stated that Ms Walsh explore the issue of compensation.
Judge Durcan adjourned the case to April 11 for sentence and remanded Ms Walsh on continuing bail to that date.
