'Exceptionally Vulnerable' Woman Conned Out Of Life Savings
A dad of one who conned an exceptionally vulnerable woman out of her life savings has been jailed for three years.
The woman was left with just 93 euro in her bank account after handing over 90 grand.
Michael O’Brien (24) of Oldcastle Drive in Clondalkin pleaded guilty to four sample charges of deception on dates between October and November 2015.
The court heard the victim was being treated as an outpatient in a psychiatric ward and was also caring for her 95 year old mother when she was targeted.
She told gardai a man had called to her one day and said she needed to have her driveway repaved or the postman would trip and sue her. She agreed to the work and paid €7,500 for it.
She said the same man then suggested he paint her house saying it was going to fall down and he would sort it. She paid €1,500 for this but the work was never completed.
The Judge was told the vulnerable woman then got a call from a man claiming to be an accountant.
He said he’d heard she had been scammed by a group of travellers and he could help get her money back.
She was told to pay him in instalments of €5,000 and she kept doing this until she was left with only 93 euro in her account.
The court heard Michael O’Brien was not the main beneficiary of the cash and had brought €20,000 to repay the woman.
He has no previous convictions. A garda told the court O'Brien would not provide him with any information about the other people involved in the scheme. Judge Melanie Greally noted he was a good husband and father but said the vulnerable woman had been exploited.
She sentenced him to three years in jail. Michael O’Brien cried and hugged his family members before being led away.