Liam Lenehan (25) of Kilmacannon, Ballinfull was employed by his uncle at a shellfish company but he stole cheques from his van and wrote out various sums for himself before cashing them in local shops and banks.

Lenehan was returned for trial to the Circuit Court on April 18th 2024 on eight counts of theft and on May 3rd pleaded guilty to three counts on a full facts basis with the remaining to be taken into account.

Outlining the case to Mr Leo Mulrooney BL (prosecuting) with Ms Elisa McHugh, State Solicitor, Detective Garda TJ Gallagher stated that there were 44 counts of theft in total amounting to €39,700 which took place over a three month period from October 1st 2021 to January 10th 2022.

At the time the defendant who was 22 then, was employed by his uncle Paul Leydon at his company, Armada Shellfish Limited, Lissadell. He has been in business for over 30 years and employs between three and five people in the exporting of oysters.

In January 2022 Mr Leydon was checking his business account bank statements and saw that a number of cheques, in excess of 40, had been cashed over a three month period that he hadn’t authorised.

Mr Leydon reported the matter to the Gardaí in Grange and also to the Bank of Ireland.

The latter informed Mr Leydon that another cheque made out for €6,000 was being processed but a stop had been put to this.

Mr Leydon’s nephew, Liam had been working for him for three years and it was suspected he had a part in the thefts.

The company chequebook used to be left in Mr Leydon’s work van. The defendant was earning between €350 and €400 a week at the time.

Det Garda Gallagher said the bank refunded the €39,700 and it was at the loss of the money.

In a statement, the bank said the final €6,000 cheque had been flagged by them as suspicious.

Sixteen of the cheques had been cashed in local shops.

A full investigation was carried out by Detective Sergeant Gerard Mullaney who met the defendant on November 24th 2023 for interview and he made full admissions.

On March 26th 2024 he was formally charged.

He lost his job which he began in 2017 having been working there since he was in school. His uncle was his mother’s brother.

Lenehan told Gardaí that he began taing cheques from the chequebook in the van which was also open. He forged his uncle’s signature on the cheques.

He cashed the cheques in local shops saying they were his wages and he then went into the bank with cheques made out in bigger amounts.

He said he had a very bad problem with gambling online with Paddy Power and also their betting shops. He said he was a a very bad gambler.

The defendant had ten previous convictions, all road traffic related. In 2023 he was banned for six years for not having insurance.

The court was told that Mr Leydon did not wish to give a Victim Impact Statement.

In reply to Mr Colm Smyth SC with Mr Gerard McGovern, Solicitor (defending), Det Garda Gallagher agreed that the admissions made by the defendant were of assistance in what would have been a difficult investigation otherwise.

The Garda also agreed that the money received by the defendant was largely spent on his gambling.

Lenehan told the court he was sorry for taking the money and didn’t know at the time that he had an addiction. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and other conditions while he was also attending the mental health services every three months and was on daily medication.

He was receiving €232 a week in social welfare and had brought €3,000 to court.

He was living at home with his parents.

He had been trying to get work.

A lot of people fell out with him over the thefts.

He no longer had a car having crashed it. He was going to Gamblers’ Anonymous every week and was also being assisted by Aubrey Melville of Social Groundforce.

Judge Keenan Johnson told the defendant that he needed to get himself motivated and get out there and get some training.

“There’s no point staying at home mulling over these things,” said the Judge.

Judge Johnson said the defendant’s stealing from his uncle was such a breach of trust.

“You were family,” he said, adding that the defendant was clouded in his thinking by his gambling addiction.

The Judge said however that he was not satisfied the defendant was inherently criminal or a bad person.

Aubrey Meville of the charity, Social Groundforce, told the court that the defendant and his parents and come to see him.

It was clear, he said that the had a gambling addiction. He was seeing him on a weekly basis.

“He’s slowly coming around. He’s not fully aware. It’s letting him see that he’s not alone.

“We are trying to put in place for a him a social structure.

“I think he has been caught early enough that we can do something for him.

“The meetings are very important for him to attend,” he said.

Judge Johnson expressed his sympathy to the defendant’s mother saying it was an awful position to be in but that she was blameless and that she can’t do more than support him.

Passing sentence, Judge Johnson said the defendant was always going to be caught. He had left a paper trail and he had lodged some of the cheques to his own bank account.

“It was a gross breach of trust and the amount stolen was significant for the size of business run by Mr Leydon,” said Judge Johnson who added that a probation report put him at moderate risk of re-offending.

“He’s young enough to rehabilitate and to embark on a productive life,” said Judge Johnson.

He added: “The presence of gambling, especially online gambling is insidious. It’s 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and people can get hooked easily,” he said.

He adjourned final sentencing to July 29th and ordered the defendant to enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

The defendant must also engage with the Probation Service and Social Groundforce and make an effort to train with a view to gaining employment.

He must also save €75 a week but he will not be asked to make full restitution to the bank just €15,000, said the Judge, adding that the bank has broader shoulders.

It was ordered that the €3,000 in court be handed over to Bank Of Ireland.