A POST office manager who fraudulently converted widows' pensions and lone parents' allowances has been given a three-year suspended sentence.
Alan Prunty has complied with an order made last October to pay Pounds 3,700 compensation to the Department of Social Welfare, Judge Kevin Haugh was told at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The court was told by Mr Hugo Hyne, prosecuting, that a total of Pounds 61,000 was involved in the case.
But Mr Michael Ryan, defending, said the charges before the court related to only Pounds 4,403.
Prunty, of Forest Drive, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to six sample charges of defrauding the Department of Social Welfare on dates from 1990 to 1994. He had no previous convictions.
Last October, Det Sgt Michael Clifford said Prunty partly financed his mortgage and car loan by forging widows' pension and lone parents' books over a number of years.
Det Sgt Clifford said Pounds 4,403 was involved in the sample charges. In a search of Prunty's house, he discovered Pounds 700 and a pension book in the name of a widow who died in 1989.
Det Sgt Clifford told Mr Hynes that apart from the dead woman some of the other books he forged were for people who had gone abroad. The matter came to light following complaints to the Department.
At first Prunty denied any involvement but when arrested in January 1995 made a statement of admission. He said he first began his fraud to cover shortages in the post office and then found it was easy money. He continued to forge the books to pay his mortgage and car loan.
Det Sgt Clifford agreed with Mr Ryan that he did not consider Prunty was a danger to the community in the future.
Mr Ryan said his client's admission in January 1995 and his later guilty plea had saved the Garda and the State a lot of time and expense. Prunty apologised to his employers and the court for his offence. He also offered Pounds 87 a week compensation from his present earnings as a hackney driver.