Ardara woman who stole from charity gets suspended sentence

 

A mother of three form Ardara who admitted stealing €8500 from a charity while working as it’s treasurer, has been handed an 18 month jail sentence, suspended on payment of compensation.
44 year old Fionula Laverty of Garvegort, Glebe, Ardara admitted 10 counts of theft from Glenties Dyslexia Workshop between August 2012 and December 2015.
The mother of three also pleaded guilty to using a false instrument, by forging seven cheques in the name of Anne O’Donnell on the account of Glenties Dyslexia Workshop on dates on or before September 18, 2012 and June 25, 2014.
The judge wanted to know in December, how much of the outstanding €10,000 to €12,000 Revenue debt had been paid.
In sentencing the defendant, whose actions caused the workshop to close for over three years, Judge John Aylmer said her crime was a “significant breach of trust”.
The charity was disaffiliated by Dyslexia Association of Ireland for non- payment of tax, it emerged that Ms Laverty had been writing cheques for herself and taking cash from some Church Gate collections to fund and pay back revenue debts.
The garda agreed under cross-examination from defence counsel Peter Nolan that this was “out of character” for the defendant.
Mr Nolan said the early plea had spared a complex case and the defendant had gathered €8,500 to pay back and would continue to make restitution.