A father has been jailed and his wife is awaiting sentencing in a multigenerational insurance claim fraud.
Patrick Lawrence (54), his wife Eileen (52), and sons Tom (24) and John (26), who were children at the time, made personal injury claims for road traffic accidents and falls using false names on dates between 2010 and 2016. The family all have addresses at Moyglas Glade, Lucan in Dublin.
The family instructed solicitors, attended doctors and swore affidavits using the false identities in order to pursue the claims. Most of the claims were unsuccessful but a number were paid out.
The offending came to light after an insurance company hired a private investigator.
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Another member of the family, grandmother Winnifred Lawrence (74) was jailed last year for three and a half years with the final 18 months suspended for making similar claims between 2012 and 2014. She had fraudulently received €23,150 after legal expenses for her claims.
Patrick Lawrence pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deception and attempted deception on dates between 2013 and 2018. Eileen Lawrence pleaded guilty to deception and attempted deception on dates between 2010 and 2016.
Tom Lawrence pleaded guilty to one count of attempted deception in 2016, while his brother John Lawrence pleaded guilty to deception and attempted deception on dates between 2014 and 2016.
Judge Martin Nolan said Patrick Lawrence had his difficulties but he was satisfied that he knew right from wrong. He acknowledged his medical and mental health issues but said this was serious wrongdoing which merited a prison sentence. He imposed two years' imprisonment.
He noted that Tom and John Lawrence were children at the time and there was some evidence they were used as “conduits” and under pressure to some degree to commit the crimes.
The judge said they were now getting on well and it would be unjust to imprison them. He imposed one year suspended sentences on both men.
In relation to Eileen Lawrence, Judge Nolan said there was no doubt she was involved in a serious way in the offending and he thought she did deserve to go to prison. He said the only thing stopping him was the effect her imprisonment would have on third parties.
The court had heard she was “the glue that holds the family together” and had a caring role for family members with additional needs.
He said he would reflect over the weekend on Eileen’s case and impose sentence on Monday.
Det Gda Ivor Scully of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau told David Perry BL, prosecuting, that the family had submitted the personal injury claims under false names to disguise the fact that they had all made previous claims and not to draw attention to the claims. He outlined that some of the claims were paid out but the majority were not successful.
He said one insurance company engaged a private investigator to look into certain claims and the investigator took photos of the family attending medical appointments under their false names.
Gardaí were alerted and the investigation unearthed correspondence from the false identities at the accused persons' address and claim money paid into a bank account of one member of the family.
The family were arrested and interviewed in 2019.
Patrick Lawrence made four false claims under two false names for road traffic accidents and falls, with just one claim successfully resulting in pay out of €9,370. He has six previous convictions for theft and road traffic offences.
Eileen Lawrence made five claims under two false identities. Only one claim was successful, with €15,000 being paid out to her in 2014. Another claim was withdrawn after she was identified in court by gardaí. Eileen Lawrence has no previous convictions.
Tom Lawrence made an unsuccessful claim for a trip and fall in 2016 under a false name. He was 16 years old at the time. He has convictions for road traffic offences and theft.
John Lawrence made four claims under false names, with one being successful and netting a pay out of €6,155 in 2015. John was also under 18 at the time of the offending. He has convictions for theft and road traffic offences.
