A former Cork County Council caretaker who stole more than €100,000 from his employers to feed a chronic gambling addiction received a four-year suspended sentence yesterday.
Seán Deasy, (53) Greenanes, Ardfield, Clonakilty, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft of cash and cheques from the council offices at Kent Street, Clonakilty between August 2004 and October 2005. The total amount of money stolen over the 14-month period was €117,601.
Det Garda James Keane told Cork Circuit Criminal Court the accused was employed as a caretaker by the council and part of his duty was to take lodgements to the bank. On eight occasions, he failed to make the lodgements after being handed the money and dockets by council staff.
The court heard the accused paid back the full amount of money taken by remortgaging the family home, taking out a credit union loan and borrowing from friends.
Psychologist Joan Long told the court that Deasy had been under her care since he committed the offence. She said he was extremely remorseful and had made every effort possible to deal with his gambling addiction.
"He has lost everything important in his life, his job, his family, his family home and then his car was stolen. He is of no fixed abode at the moment and a friend puts him up," she said.
Judge Patrick Moran told Deasy that the type of exercise he had been engaged in was foolhardy as he was bound to be found out sooner rather than later. He had lost his job and suffered greatly from a personal point of view, but he had also sought help and paid back all the money in full which was to his credit.
