A Co Monaghan mother-of-two who was employed as a senior accountant lodged cash to her own account from cheques provided by clients for the Revenue Commissioners to pay PAYE, VAT, and income tax, and fraudulently embezzled money exceeding €100,000, Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court was told yesterday.
Ms Sheila Conachy (39), with an address at Cavanageeragh, Carrickmacross, was given a suspended sentence of two years imprisonment when she pleaded guilty to a series of charges of fraud and embezzlement.
The charges brought under the Larceny Act related to a series of alleged offences while she was employed with an accountancy firm in Carrickmacross, during a period between June 1995 and December 2000.
Judge Matthew Deery was told that compensation exceeding €85,100 was paid to the firm and this amount was acceptable to her former employers who were negotiating some "special considerations" with the Revenue Commissioners in view of what had happened.
A defence counsel said none of the company's clients sustained any financial loss as a result of the accused's transgression, which followed a difficult financial time being experienced by the family which had a business background.
Det Garda Thomas Devins, Carrickmacross, said the accused used signed cheques which were left by clients for completion for tax payments to the Revenue Commissioners. Some of the cheques were subsequently made out to her own account at a branch of the National Irish Bank.
The court was told the accused had raised a loan from the Credit Union and also mortgaged her home to raise compensation and to pay back all the money she had taken.
The accused broke down in tears in court and told Judge Deery she was "extremely sorry" for what she had done.
Judge Deery suspended the sentence of two years' imprisonment on Mrs Conachy on her undertaking to enter a bond of €500 and be of good behaviour for three years.