Bookmaker theft

A woman from Hunter’s Run is to be considered for a community service order by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court when she repays the €18,000 that she stole from her employer.

Jennifer Good, a separated mother of two young children from Hunters Run stole the money from Pat McManus bookmakers in Littlepace Shopping Centre when she worked there in 2004 and 2005. Judge Katherine Delahunty was told that Ms. Good had run into financial difficulties after her marriage ended.

The defendant pleaded guilty to five counts of theft between November 2004 and June 2005. The court was told that she stamped blank betting dockets when she was alone in the shop and later entered the winning details and collected the cash on her “winnings”.

In his evidence Garda Peter Cooney said that the thefts came to light when Good's employer, Brian Murray, saw her put a betting docket through the system when she was alone in the shop. Mr. Murray decided to carry out an audit and as a result he found 180 suspicious dockets. These bets had all been placed while Good was on duty and had all been settled by Good. He also noted that the dockets were all in “pristine condition”, which was unusual. A total of €18,000 was involved in the fraud. According to Garda Cooney, when Ms. Good was arrested she admitted the thefts and co-operated fully with the gardaí.

In her statement to gardaí Ms. Good said that she was paid €80 a day and that she had begun stamping blank dockets after a security camera was removed from the premises. She said that having stamped the blank docket, she would fill in the winning details later and collect cash. She said that she filled in two or three dockets each day she worked and that she had taken up to €300 each time.

The defendant’s counsel, Luan Ó Braonáin SC, said his client had difficulties with maintenance payments from her husband, which had now been resolved. However as a result she had run into arrears with her mortgage and other bills.

Mr. Ó Braonáin said his client felt shame for her actions and had now collected €18,000 from various sources to repay her employer.

Judge Katherine Delahunt referred Ms. Good to the Probation Service to assess her suitability for community service.

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