A conman who forced a frail elderly woman to go to her bank and cash a cheque for €6,000 has been jailed for five years by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Gamble (46), a father of three with an address at Ballyspillane, Killarney, Co Kerry, pleaded guilty to stealing the €6,000 cheque from the victim on June 4th, 2003, in Dublin.
Det Garda David Ennis told Sean Gillane, prosecuting, that Gamble had so intimidated the then 85-year-old woman by repeated calls to her home on the pretext of carrying out work she had not ordered that she gave him the money.
Judge White said Gamble's guilty plea had come late and after the victim had attended the court on one other occasion when his scheduled trial could not proceed because no judge was available.
He said that if convicted by a jury the appropriate sentence would have been 10 years. He backdated the five-year term to start from July 30th, 2004 when Gamble went into custody.
Det Garda Ennis said the build-up to the crime began in May 2003 when a man knocked on the woman's door and told her she needed painting as well as roofing and gutters repair work. A ladder had already been placed at the wall.
The woman said Gamble and a young man then spent the day "fooling around" and eating out in her garden while sometimes going up and down the ladder.
At the end of the day they said she owed them money.
This pattern was repeated on at least three more occasions with men coming to her house, saying they were carrying out repair work and other renovations for which she was told she owed them money.
Later, an AIB spokesman said the woman at the centre of the court case had not made a complaint with the bank about the incident.
"We are not aware of any approach made by the customer or on her behalf about this. Speaking on RTE radio, the 85-year-old woman's cousin, Kay Gorevan, said her elderly relative had handed over the cheque for €6,000 to Mr Gamble but he had been unable to cash it.
He then returned to the women's house where he forced her into a van and returned with her to the AIB branch to cash the cheque.
"I have been into the bank on numerous occasions since explaining to the staff what happened," added Ms Gorevan.
She got a phone call on June 4th, 2003, from a man who said he was "Joe Gamble" and he told her someone would call later to collect money she owed him.
Det Garda Ennis said that shortly after than a young man came to her door, rushed at her and shouted and intimidated her. She was so frightened she handed over the cheque.
Investigations began after she lodged a detailed statement with gardaí. Gamble was arrested on Anglesea Street, Cork, in March 2004 but denied any wrongdoing.
Det Garda Ennis said none of the money was ever recovered. Gamble had 10 previous convictions for similar deceptions in the Munster area and Wicklow.