A LIMERICK-BORN “sophisticated fraudster” who posed as a senior garda has been jailed for 15 months.
John Wall, (55) Fairgreen Hostel, Galway city, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to impersonating a member of An Garda Síochána, using false cheques and possession of stolen property.
Det Garda Chris Fitzgerald told Judge Martin Nolan that on the evening of April 10th, 2009, the manager of the Mona Lisa restaurant, D’Olier St, Dublin, received a phone call from a man with “a strong country accent” purporting to be Det Sergeant Browne of Pearse St Garda station.
The caller said he had a prisoner in custody who required a meal and ordered food to the value of €23. A man purporting to be Det Sgt Browne’s colleague collected the food and sought to pay with a €600 cheque which had on the back of it the signature of a Det Sgt Browne and a mobile number.
The restaurant manager agreed to accept the cheque and gave change of €577.
The following day the manager received another phone call from the same caller who thanked him for cashing the cheque and told him if he ever needed anything to “give Sgt Browne a call”.
The following day “Det Sgt Browne” rang the restaurant again and said he had missed the bank and asked would they oblige him by cashing a cheque for €900 on behalf of his wife, and the manager agreed.
On this occasion “Det Sgt Browne” once again sent his partner to the restaurant as he said he was caught up in a court case in Dundalk. The manager became highly suspicious at this point as the man turned up with “drink on board”.
The next day “Det Sgt Browne” called the restaurant again and apologised for his colleague’s behaviour, explaining the man’s mother had died and asked could they cash another cheque.
During the call the restaurant manager could hear a person in the background on the other end of the line shouting “get a bullet-proof vest”. Later that night “Det Sgt Browne” called to say a person had been killed so he would not be able to pick the money up himself and would be sending his colleague instead.
Having been alerted by staff at the restaurant Det Gda Fitzgerald told the court that he and a colleague pretended to be diners and arrested Wall when he arrived at the restaurant.
Wall made full admissions and told officers all the money had been spent.
The judge said Wall, who had 98 previous convictions, was obviously a man of considerable talents but alcohol had thwarted his life and sentenced him to 15 months imprisonment.