A kidnapping victim whose theft from his employer came to light when the bank shut down because of the robbery has been given a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Glen Walsh (27) stole almost €500,000 from AIB in Crumlin Cross over a period of six months by handing out cash to his co-accused, David Vickery (27) who then used the money to place bets.
The pair would then use the winnings to reimburse the bank but after bets were lost during the 2010 World Cup, there was an ultimate shortfall of €40,000.
A third man took over Vickery’s role of placing bets with the stolen cash in April 2010 but this man was never prosecuted.
Imposing suspended one-year sentences on both men, Judge Patricia Ryan said that they had breached the trust of their employer, but that the bank had been "fully recompensed" and neither was likely to reoffend.
Walsh was also ordered to attend counselling for gambling addiction at the direction of the Probation Service.
Walsh of Kilakee Grove, Firhouse, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of €40,000 from AIB Crumlin Cross West between January and June 2010. He has no previous convictions.
Vickery of Sycamore Drive, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing €10,000 in stolen money at Boylesports, Terenure on January 15th, 2010 and Paddy Power, Belgard Road on April 6th, 2010. He has a minor conviction for a road traffic offence.
Det Garda Michael McGrath said Walsh and another colleague were the victims of a kidnapping in June 2010.
A gun was put to the other man’s head while Walsh was forced to go to the bank in Crumlin and take out €210,000. The men were shown pictures of their respective families and serious threats were made against them.
The AIB was shut down that day because of the raid and an immediate audit was carried out which led to the discovery of Walsh’s theft.
The court heard Walsh had a cheque for €20,000 to reimburse the bank the day of the kidnapping but he couldn’t lodge this as the bank was shut down. He has since re-paid the full €40,000.
Det Gda McGrath agreed with defence counsel Patrick McGrath SC, that gardaí are completely satisfied that Walsh had “no hand, act or part” in the tiger kidnapping.
He told Michael O’Higgins SC, prosecuting, Walsh was a teller at the AIB in Crumlin when the audit revealed inconsistencies in lodgements through both paper and internet transactions.
The gardaí were contacted and both men later made full admissions.
Vickery said he made a profit of about €5,000 by the time his involvement came to an end in April 2010. He said at that stage there was no shortfall and the bank had been fully paid back.
Walsh left for Australia shortly after his interview and was brought back this June on an extradition warrant which he didn’t contest. He was remanded again on bail and has since complied with the conditions of that.
Det Gda McGrath agreed with Jonathan Kilfeather SC, defending Vickery, that he has expressed genuine remorse for his involvement, comes from a decent family and is unlikely to come before the courts again.
The garda accepted that Vickery has learnt his lesson, “100 per cent”.