A woman deceived a friend into giving her about €30,000 over five years under the guise of an investment into a Lanzarote bar, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Geraldine McGrath (57) misled her friend, who is now in her early 80s, into making regular cash payments towards what the injured party believed to be an investment on the Spanish island.
The woman thought the bar would provide for her retirement. She used money from her wages, savings and her pension to pay money to McGrath. She now has no real savings and limited financial means, the court heard.
In a victim-impact statement, the injured party said her son died in 2010 and she has been unable to afford a headstone for his grave.
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McGrath of Shangan Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to three counts of deception.
The court heard the pleas were acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions on a full-facts basis and are representative of her offending between May, 2016 and August, 2021. McGrath has no previous convictions.
Oisín Clarke, defending, told the court during a previous hearing that his client is keen to make restitution. He said with family support, she could put aside €200 a week over the next three years to repay the full €30,000 to the injured party.
Mr Clarke said no arrangements to repay the money were made after the injured party made a formal complaint to gardaí in 2022. He said his client is not a woman of means and has significant health issues having been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Judge Jonathan Dunphy said the court was concerned that no money has been put aside since the offending came to light.
He said a custodial sentence is still possible and told Mr Clarke to “advise your client to get her affairs in order” before the next date.
Mr Clarke told the court that his client had €3,000 in court and another €1,000 would be available by Friday.
He suggested the case be adjourned to March for an update.
Judge Dunphy said the court would give McGrath more time to make repayments. He directed that €3,000 be handed over on Tuesday, with a further €1,000 to be paid by Friday.
The judge said a minimum of €11,000 should be repaid by next July. He remanded McGrath on continuing bail until March 23rd, 2026, when the court will receive an update.
Det Garda Damien Rogers told Maddie Grant, prosecuting, that the two women became acquainted in the 1970s and reconnected about 20 years ago.
They went to cabaret and music shows together, including during a trip to Lanzarote. The injured party told gardaí she spoke to McGrath about her love of the Spanish island and how it would be great to retire there, if financial circumstances allowed.
McGrath later mentioned she was going to invest in a pub there and that the injured party could invest in it through her.
The court was told the woman started to hand over cash amounts to McGrath on a weekly basis.
The individual amounts paid over by the woman varied from €100 up to a maximum of €450. The woman’s family became concerned in 2018 about her financial situation and the payments she was making to McGrath. They encouraged her to go to gardaí.
The woman made a complaint to gardaí in 2022. When interviewed, McGrath denied the allegations and took a trial date.
Ms Grant said while it was indicated in advance of the trial date in October that McGrath would plead guilty, the injured party had been ready to give evidence.
Mr Clarke outlined that this case involved a “clear breach of trust”, a “betrayal of friendship” and was a “mean-spirited offence”. He said his client is remorseful and apologetic.
A number of medical reports were handed in for McGrath and other members of her family.
Mr Clarke said his client has faced a degree of negative commentary on social media due to her offending. He acknowledged money should have been put aside and suggested that his client had put her head in the sand.
