Ireland Case No. 2894Theft from the State, using a false instrument · Co. Dublin · 1 May 2008
Noel Ward jailed for 18 months for €109,000 social welfare fraud using friend's identity
Noel Ward, 59, was sentenced to three years (with 18 months suspended) at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to theft from the State and using a false instrument for fraudulently claiming €109,235 in social welfare benefits over ten years using his late friend Patrick Rooney's PPS number.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced20 Nov
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports15 statements extracted from the articles
- whatWard fraudulently claimed a total of €109,235 over a ten-year period. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWard transferred about €64,000 into his friend Patrick Rooney's AIB account. (irishtimes.com)
- whenPatrick Rooney died in December 2023 in Thailand. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offences were committed between May 2008 and August 2019. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGarda Louise Keane told the court that gardaí believe the late Patrick Rooney was complicit in the abuse of his PPS number. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe fraud came to light after Ward applied for Disability Allowance and submitted Ulster Bank statements showing weekly wages from Musgraves Wholesale Partners. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeWard pleaded guilty to two charges of using a false instrument and six counts of theft from the State. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of five years before imposing a term of three years. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe final 18 months of the sentence were suspended. (irishtimes.com)
- otherWard has been making repayments to the State since 2017, including a lump sum of €20,000 paid earlier this month. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe State remains at a loss of about €15,000. (irishtimes.com)
- otherWard is the sole carer for his partner, who is a wheelchair user. (irishtimes.com)
- otherPatrick Rooney, a recovering alcoholic, offered Ward a place to stay when he was homeless in 2008. (irishtimes.com)
- otherWard has set up a direct debit of €80 a week to the Department of Social Protection. (irishtimes.com)
- otherWard took out a loan of €15,000 and his partner took out a loan of €5,000 to repay the State. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 20 Nov2024Man who claimed €109,000 in welfare using ID of friend in Thailand is jailed
Sentencing report: Ward received a three-year sentence (18 months suspended) for a ten-year social welfare fraud in which he claimed benefits under his friend Patrick Rooney's identity after Rooney moved to Thailand. The court heard details of how the fraud was uncovered and Ward's efforts to repay the State.
convicted, Noel Ward, 59, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel Wardsuspect, Patrick Rooney, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Rooney