Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21847Theft; forgery; deception; money laundering · Co. Dublin

Bookkeeper sentenced to two years for €629,000 theft in Dublin

Karina Cully, a 36-year-old woman from Ashbourne, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to diverting €629,000 from her employer's small office supplies company to her own bank account over more than seven years between 2014 and 2021. She also forged documents related to a mortgage application, including an inflated salary statement and a reference. Her employer contacted her after suspicions were aroused about certain payments, and she made full admissions to the unauthorised transfers. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two years' imprisonment on 20 March 2023, noting the early guilty pleas, full admissions and cooperation as mitigation.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced20 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Cully diverted money from her employer's small office supplies company to her own bank account for over seven years, with a total loss of €629,000.
  • Cully forged documents related to a mortgage application, including an inflated statement of salary and a reference.
Where
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; Cully is from Churchfield Glen, Ashbourne, Co Meath.
When
The offences occurred on dates between 2014 and 2021.
Investigation
Her employer contacted Cully after suspicions were aroused about certain payments, and she made full admissions to making unauthorised transfers to her personal bank account.
Charges
Cully pleaded guilty to theft, forgery, deception in relation to a mortgage application, and money laundering.
In court
Judge Martin Nolan heard the case with John Moher BL prosecuting and Gerardine Small SC defending.
Sentence
Cully was sentenced to two years' imprisonment on 20 March 2023.
Other details
  • Cully is a married mother of two small children with no previous convictions, and she said the thefts had been like a habit or addiction she was unable to stop.
  • The judge described it as a simple but very efficient theft that was always going to be detected, and noted mitigation included early guilty pleas, full admissions, cooperation, and that she was unlikely to reoffend.
36 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatCully diverted money from her employer's small office supplies company to her own bank account for over seven years (rte.ie)
  • whatThe total loss to the company was €629,000 (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatCully is a married mother of two small children (rte.ie)
  • whatShe said the thefts had been like a habit or addiction she was unable to stop (rte.ie)
  • whatShe told gardaí she did not know why she had done it and had not needed the money (rte.ie)
  • whatShe spent the money on lifestyle expenses such as holidays or eating out (rte.ie)
  • whatA number of documents related to a mortgage application were forged by Cully (rte.ie)
  • whatThe forged documents included an inflated statement of salary and a reference (rte.ie)
  • whatCully stole over €600,000 from her employer (irishtimes.com)
  • whatShe diverted money to her own bank account for more than seven years (irishtimes.com)
  • whatShe spent the money on lifestyle expenses (irishtimes.com)
  • whatShe spent the money on holidays and eating out (irishtimes.com)
  • whatShe forged documents related to a mortgage application including an inflated statement of salary and a reference (irishtimes.com)
  • whereCully is from Churchfield Glen, Ashbourne, Co Meath (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offences occurred on dates between 2014 and 2021 (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHer employer contacted Cully after suspicions were aroused about certain payments (rte.ie)
  • investigationShe made full admissions to making unauthorised transfers to her personal bank account (rte.ie)
  • investigationFollowing an investigation she made full admissions to making unauthorised transfers to her personal bank account (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeShe pleaded guilty to theft, forgery, deception in relation to a mortgage application and money laundering (rte.ie)
  • chargeShe pleaded guilty to theft, forgery and deception in relation to a mortgage application, and money laundering (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Martin Nolan passed the sentence (rte.ie)
  • courtA victim impact statement was handed into court on behalf of the company but not read aloud (rte.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJohn Moher BL was prosecuting (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGerardine Small SC was defending (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceCully was sentenced to two years' imprisonment (rte.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two years' imprisonment (irishtimes.com)
  • otherShe has no previous convictions (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge described it as a simple but very efficient theft that was always going to be detected (rte.ie)
  • otherThe judge noted the mitigation was very good with early guilty pleas, full admissions and cooperation (rte.ie)
  • otherThe judge took into account she was unlikely to reoffend and had a strong work record (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge noted it was persistent theft from someone she knew very well and met every day (rte.ie)
  • otherThe judge described it as a simple but efficient theft that was always going to be detected (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge noted there was little evidence of where she spent the money (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMitigation included early guilty pleas, full admissions and cooperation (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe theft was from someone she knew very well and met every day (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 Mar2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Book-keeper jailed for stealing more than €600,000 from employer

    Sentencing report: Cully received a two-year prison sentence for diverting €629,000 from her employer over more than seven years, plus forging mortgage application documents.

    convicted, Karina Cully, 36, female, named, irish (judged from name)Karina Cully
  2. 20 Mar2023
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Bookkeeper who stole €600k from employer is jailed

    Provides full sentencing detail including Judge Martin Nolan's remarks, the defence's submissions by Gerardine Small SC, Cully's personal circumstances, and details of the forged mortgage documents.

    convicted, Karina Cully, 36, female, named, irish (judged from name)Karina Cully