Mother Swindles Elderly Man Out Of €65k

A mother of ten has been jailed for two years after stealing €65,000 from a pensioner she claimed crashed into her car.

54-year-old Kathleen Lewis from Blackwater Heights, Youghal, Co Cork was found guilty at Waterford Circuit Court in February of more than 20 counts of theft against 88-year-old bachelor farmer George Berry from Ballynoe on the Waterford-Cork border.

During sentencing on Wednesday, Lewis was described by Judge Rory McCabe as "a thief who engaged in base dishonesty and despicable behaviour".

Lewis claimed Mr Berry hit her car in a car park in Killeagh in Cork in March 2006 and demanded money from him and over a period of time, received more than €65,000 in cash payments, leaving Mr Berry buried in debt from family and friend loans after he had emptied his savings.

Lewis had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court heard today that €18,800 had been paid back to Mr Berry, leaving €46,000 outstanding. However, The judge said there was no indication that Mr Berry would get back any more of the money.

In sentencing, Judge McCabe said Lewis had no appreciation of the gravity of the situation in her robbing a vulnerable, elderly man.

He said he had very little sympathy with the accused and what he described as 'a particularly nasty occurrence'.

He sentenced Lewis to four years in prison but suspended the final two years.

Afterwards Mr Berry said he was relieved it was all over and said he was happy with the sentence.

(DW/BMcC)