A man who stole almost €50,000 from one Dublin golf club and produced false income and expenditure accounts for another has been given a 2½-year sentence.
Evidence was given that he had needed to get help for a gambling problem.
Alan Williamson (53) had volunteered as treasurer for Elmgreen Golf Club when he furnished false accounts at club agms from 2004 to 2007.
The father of four then stole €49,679 from Silloge Park Golf Club while he was employed as manager.
Williamson, Whitechapel Grove, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to producing false income and expenditure accounts to make gain or cause loss at Elmgreen Golf Club, Dunsink Lane, Castleknock, from January 31st, 2004, to January 24th, 2007.
Guilty plea
He also pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to sample charges of stealing between €1,168 and €4,108 from Silloge Park Golf Club from May 14th, 2007, to June 18th, 2007.
Williamson further pleaded guilty to stealing a €3,250 cheque from Elmgreen Golf Club on June 17th, 2006. He has no previous convictions.
Judge Mary Ellen Ring commented that the golf clubs were small companies and suffered a significant loss. She imposed a 2½-year sentence and suspended the final two years.
Bouncing cheque
Sgt Alan Brown of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation said Williamson had been on holiday in 2007 when Elmgreen’s honorary secretary got a call from the bank about a cheque bouncing.
The secretary contacted Williamson, who said he had made lodgements in a night safe. Gardaí were contacted when it was discovered this never happened.
Williamson told authorities at Silloge Park Golf Club, where he worked as manager from February 2007, that he lodged money in error to Elmgreen. He said he would “chase it up”.
Sgt Brown told Gráinne O’Neill, prosecuting, that Elmgreen confirmed no money had been lodged and informed Silloge there had been previous problems with Williamson.
None of the cash was recovered.