A nurse manager who stole some €56,000 from the Beacon Hospital by using a systems glitch to overstate his overtime has been handed a three-year suspended sentence.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Rodel Padilla (51) had been working at the hospital for 14 years and immediately resigned when his offending was revealed.
Padilla, of Village Gate, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to deception on dates between July 2021 and August 2023. He has no previous convictions.
He told gardaí he was sending money home to the Philippines due to family difficulties and that he was under severe financial pressure at the time.
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The court heard that Padilla received some €56,000 in payments by overstating overtime he did not undertake. He told gardaí he thought the figure was closer to €20,000, but took full responsibility when made aware it was higher.
Defence counsel said Padilla had put himself in “irrecoverable” financial difficulty, lost his career and caused irreparable damage to his life through his own actions.
Having heard the facts of the case on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned for the night to consider the sentence. On Thursday he handed Padilla a fully suspended three-year sentence.
“Does he deserve to go to prison for his offending? I am of the opinion he does not,” Judge Nolan said.
The judge said the mitigation included Padilla’s guilty plea, the defendant’s co-operation and admissions, his lack of previous convictions, his good work history and that he is unlikely to reoffend again.
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