Ex-garda used headed paper and stamp for false invoices, court told

A garda used Garda headed notepaper and stamp to make out false invoices for extra policing to claim cash for work he was being paid to do to feed a chronic gambling habit, a court has heard.

John O’Halloran (47), who was based at Barrack Street Garda station in Cork city, but has since resigned from the force, had pleaded guilty to 11 sample charges from more than 200 when arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court last November.

O’Halloran, a native of the South Douglas Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to three counts of corruption, one of making a gain by deception and seven counts of theft on various dates between June 2009 and September 2015 in Cork.

On Monday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Insp Fergal Foley said the matter was initially investigated as a disciplinary matter after a woman, Mairéad O’Callaghan, made a complaint that O’Halloran had asked her on November 17th, 2013, for a loan of €5,500.

Ms O’Callaghan gave him the money and he then asked her for a further €6,000, all of which he said he needed to pay off a tax bill for €11,550 from the Revenue Commissioners in relation to the estate of his late father. But Ms O’Callaghan refused to give him the extra €6,000.

Money repaid

Ms O’Callaghan brought the matter to the attention of O’Halloran’s superior officer after he failed to repay her and the officer, accompanied by O’Halloran’s wife, went to Ms O’Callaghan’s house where Ms O’Halloran repaid the money. But Ms O’Callaghan proceeded with her complaint.

Insp Foley said that as soon as gardaí began delving into O’Halloran’s activities, it quickly became apparent that it was more than a disciplinary matter as he had used his role as a community garda to obtain money from the Connaught Avenue Residents Association (CARA) and the UCC Students Union.

He obtained €1,350 from CARA of which his wife repaid €600 while he obtained a total of €7,379 from UCC Students Union, which has never been repaid, on the pretext of providing extra policing during Rag Week and Freshers Week and he used Garda headed notepaper to create fake invoices.

He also set up bank accounts in the names Neighbourhood Watch and Campus Watch with addresses at a room provided to him by UCC Students Union which he set up as a Garda Advice Clinic but he did all this without the knowledge or permission of the garda authorities.

O’Halloran also pleaded guilty to continuing to draw his late father’s CIE pension from December 2011 until September 2014 after forging a document using a stamp from Anglesea Street Garda Station and forging a signature to say his father was still alive even though he had died in 2011.

He stole a total of €11,817 in pension payments after his father had died, but in 2014, a phone call was made cancelling the pension payments and an unsolicited cheque was sent to CIÉ Pension Scheme, refunding €11,900 for an overpayment.

O’Halloran also admitted selling tickets which had been reserved for companies which had sponsored the charity event, Summer Evening in the Quad and for Old Folks Parties in 2013, 2014 and 2015 which he never held, resulting in him pocketing €7,670 which has never been repaid.

Insp Foley said that O’Halloran was arrested on September 10th, 2015, for questioning about the various thefts, deceptions and corruption allegations. But nothing of a probative value emerged from the interviews with O’Halloran who only pleaded guilty to the charges last October.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said he was particularly concerned about the corruption charges and the fact that O’Halloran had used Garda headed notepaper and a Garda stamp to fraudulently obtain money from the public. The judge adjourned sentencing until Tuesday to consider the matter.