A young Wexford mother of three children, who obtained a
total of €750 from two parish priests in Laois while claiming to be a
social worker, was given the Probation Act when her case was concluded
at Portlaoise District Court on Thursday, September 22.
Rebecca O’Leary (22) had already pleaded guilty to the
three charges that occurred on October 8 and 12 last year – twice from
Portlaoise Parish Centre and once from the Parochial House in
Stradbally.
Evidence had been given that on October 8 last year, Ms
O’Leary met Msgr John Byrne in Portlaoise and told him she was a social
worker and needed €200 for a woman who was in danger of going to prison
and that the money would be reimbursed.
The same day she met with the then parish priest of Stradbally, Fr Jim O’Connell, telling him the same story.
Two days later she again contacted the Parish Centre in Portlaoise where this time she said that another woman needed €350.
Distress
A number of days later, Ms O’Leary rang the parish priest
at Ferrybank in Wexford requesting financial assistance for a woman who
was in distress.
But by this time priests had alerted each other about
the incidents after they became suspicious.
The priest agreed to meet
with her and a garda was present and arrested the woman.
Ms O’Leary has paid back the money and her solicitor asked
that the matter be settled without a conviction.
“No,” said Judge
Catherine Staines. “This is too serious of an offence.”
She went on to
impose the Probation Act.