A man in his 50s has been charged with theft amounting to several hundred thousand euro after he claimed pensions for his dead mother and father over a 33-year period.
Don O'Callaghan of Churchfield Green in Cork city appeared before Cork District Court on Tuesday where he was charged with theft following a Garda investigation.
Garda Mick Nagle, who is based at the Department of Social Protection, gave evidence of arrest charge and caution. The 58-year-old was charged with 73 sample counts dating back more than three decades; 68 counts relate to theft and five refer to false documentation in support of the fraudulent claims.
Garda Nagle said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed trial by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court while also consenting to the case being sent forward from the District Court on a signed plea of guilty.
No background evidence
Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, told Judge Olann Kelleher that his client would sign a plea of guilty to all of the charges against him. The judge sent the case forward to the Circuit Court on October 26th for sentencing.
The theft charges state that the accused man claimed pension payments in respect of his parents pretending they were still alive, when in fact they were dead.
No background evidence was given at the court hearing. Mr O’Callaghan was remanded on bail pending his next court appearance.