A Killorglin man convicted of 29 counts of theft from an elderly farmer will spend nine months in prison.
Last month, 40-year-old Owen Doherty of 45 An Bhainseach, Killorglin, was found guilty of 29 counts of theft and two sample counts of forgery, using a false instrument.
He had stolen over €7,500 from elderly farmer Bernard Hanafin, by writing and signing cheques using Mr Hanafin’s name, and encashing them without his permission.
Mr Doherty’s sentencing hearing was finalised before Judge Sinead Behan at Tralee Circuit Court.
Mr Doherty had known 78-year-old farmer Bernard Hanafin for almost 30 years, and had helped on Mr Hanafin’s farm when he was younger, and was always paid in cash.
Each of the 29 counts of theft relate to 29 separate cheques dated between November 2010 and September 2013, ranging in value from €100 to €1,200.
Those cheques add up to over €7,500 of a loss for Bernard Hanafin, but Bank of Ireland since refunded him almost €3,500.
This morning, the court heard Mr Doherty had made out a cheque of €4,062 payable to Bernard Hanafin by way of compensation.
A victim impact statement from Mr Hanafin previously read into court noted he was left feeling foolish by someone he trusted, that the accused had never apologised nor showed him mercy.
Judge Sinead Behan said she does regard Mr Doherty as being of good character, and that he has five children aged between five and 20 years old, for whom he’s the main provider.
The court heard Mr Doherty is the only member of his family who drives, and he also drives his elderly father, who is suffering cancer, to and from his appointments.
Judge Behan said other aggravating factors included that Mr Hanafin was a vulnerable man living alone, and was also a neighbour, friend, and employer to the accused at one time.
Judge Sinead Behan handed down a headline sentence of three years in prison, reduced to 18 months, with the final nine months of that suspended for two years upon release.
This means he will serve a maximum of nine months in prison, while the sentence is also backdated to when he entered custody on May 11th.
