Man stole €72,000 from Aran sweater shop to fund gambling addiction

A shop manager who stole more than €72,000 from the daily takings to feed his gambling addiction has been ordered to complete 240 hours of community service.

Paul Cashel (49) began taking small amounts of cash from the shop and then took further cash the following day to replenish what he had already taken. This progressed until he no longer had the means to replenish the funds.

Cashel, of Larkfield Gardens, Kimmage, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to thefts at Aran Sweater Market Ltd, Grafton Street, Dublin on dates between March 2nd, 2019 and April 11th, 2019. He has five previous convictions for road traffic offences.

Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan ordered that Cashel complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of two years imprisonment.

Garda Mark O’Neil told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that an issue arose at the beginning of 2019 when a financial controller for the company needed to see what had been lodged in various shops. Money due to be lodged in the shop was outstanding and the safe was empty, he said.

Resigned abruptly

Gardaí­ were informed that the store manager, Cashel, had abruptly resigned the previous day and it was believed he had taken the cash before doing so.

He had taken money from January and February to replenish money taken in December, then taken money from March to replenish the money taken from January and February.

This caught up with him in April and he did not have the means to replenish the money, the court heard. The total outstanding amount was €72,629.53.

Cashel admitted to taking the money and gambling it all away. In interview with gardaí­, he said the job got “onerous” for him, he got into gambling small amounts at the beginning and then more.

Garda O’Neil agreed with Seán O’Quigley BL, defending, that his client had never been before the courts previously for as serious an offence.

The Garda said it was accepted that the offence occurred due to a gambling addiction and that Cashel had made full admissions and expressed remorse. The garda also confirmed that former colleagues did have great trust in Cashel.