A Meath father of three who submitted false documents in a mortgage application for a family home has been jailed for one year.
Dean Masterson (34) submitted the false documents in an attempt to get a loan of €220,000 so he could purchase somewhere to live for himself and his family.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that personnel at the bank became suspicious of the documents and no money was ever paid out.
Masterson of Stonebridge, Ratoath, pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using a false instrument at KBC Bank, Sandwith Street, Dublin city centre on October 20th, 2016.
During the loan application he submitted a false salary certificate, a false payslip, a false P60 and two false bank statements.
Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Pauline Codd said personnel at the bank became suspicious of the documents and began an investigation. Masterson was found to have used five false documents during the application.
Judge Codd said the “premeditation and deliberation” in which the documents were obtained substantially aggravated the offence.
Previous convictions
She said Masterson has serious previous convictions from between 2004 and 2012 and these include robbery, attempted robbery and theft. She noted he has had no further convictions since committing these offences in 2016.
She said the fact that Masterson didn’t actually obtain money was down to the work of the people in the bank. This was a “fairly sophisticated offence” for which there has to be a deterrent, she added.
She said the mitigating factors were the accused’s guilty plea, his expression of remorse and shame, his history of addiction, his adverse childhood experiences, his work history and his efforts to rehabilitate.
Judge Codd said she took into account his motivation for the offences of wanting to obtain a property for himself and his family. She acknowledged this was his focus but said “clearly this is not the way to go about providing a home”.
She sentenced him to four years in prison but suspended the final three years on strict conditions.