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. 1141Professional misconduct (defrauding colleagues, failure to repay loan) · 1 Sep 2021

Teacher struck off register for professional misconduct in east of Ireland

A primary school teacher in her early 30s defrauded three colleagues of more than €2,000 in September and October 2021 for Apple products that were never delivered, and failed to repay a loan of almost €1,000 from her school's board of management. The teacher, who could not be named by order of the panel, appeared in court where the Probation Act was applied without a criminal conviction, and repaid her colleagues by September 2022. She resigned from her teaching post following the court appearance. At a Teaching Council sanction hearing on 14 August 2025, the panel found her guilty of professional misconduct on four of five allegations and struck her off the register of teachers, barring her from applying for reinstatement for a minimum of five years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted14 Aug
  6. Sentenced14 Aug
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The panel found that the teacher dishonestly induced a teaching colleague and two special needs assistants to give her more than €2,000 via Revolut in September and October 2021 for Apple products that were never delivered, receiving €1,102 from the colleague and €375 and €545 from the two SNAs.
  • The teacher received two payments of €500 each as a loan from the school board in early September 2021 and had repaid only €50 by the time of the inquiry.
  • The teacher drove off from an Applegreen service station on the M1 on 22 September 2021 without paying for €15 of fuel.
  • The deception involved preparation of price lists, fake documents from suppliers, and references to couriers with delivery dates.
Where
The school is in the east of Ireland.
When
The offences occurred in September and October 2021.
Investigation
The teacher appeared in court where the Probation Act was applied and she was spared a criminal conviction.
Charges
The Teaching Council panel found the teacher guilty of professional misconduct on four out of five allegations.
In court
The sanction hearing took place on 14 August 2025.
Sentence
The teacher was struck off the register of teachers and cannot apply for reinstatement for a minimum of five years.
Other details
  • The teacher did not attend the fitness-to-teach inquiry and was not legally represented.
  • The teacher, in her early 30s, had a gambling addiction at the time and had amassed €82,000 in debt.
  • The teacher repaid her three colleagues by the time she appeared in court in September 2022 and subsequently resigned from her teaching post.
36 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe teacher dishonestly obtained €375 and €545 via Revolut from two special needs assistants in October 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe payments were made in exchange for discounted Apple products which were never received. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe teacher obtained €1,102 by deception from a teacher at her school in September 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe teacher drove off from an Applegreen service station on the M1 on 22 September 2021 without paying for €15 of fuel. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe deception involved preparation of price lists, fake documents from suppliers and references to couriers with delivery dates. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe teacher defrauded three colleagues of more than €2,000 in Apple goods that were not delivered. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher owes almost €1,000 to the school where she worked. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher received €1,102 via Revolut from her teaching colleague. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher received €375 from one SNA and €545 from another SNA. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher received two payments of €500 each as a loan from the school board of management in early September 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOnly €50 of the loan to the board of management has been repaid. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe defrauding of colleagues occurred in September and October 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe teacher received the Probation Act in related criminal proceedings and was spared a criminal conviction. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe panel found the teacher guilty of professional misconduct on four out of five allegations. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe sanction hearing took place on Thursday, 14 August 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe teacher appeared in court for the deception allegations, did not receive a conviction, and the Probation Act was applied after a plea of mitigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe teacher was struck off the register of teachers. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe teacher cannot apply to be reinstated for a minimum of five years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher did not attend the fitness-to-teach inquiry and was not legally represented. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher is in her early 30s. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe money taken from colleagues was repaid by the time she appeared in court in September 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher resigned from her teaching post after appearing in court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher had only repaid €50 of the sum owed to the board of management. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher had amassed €82,000 worth of debt. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher claimed she had been clear of her gambling addiction for the past two years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher's father died in 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher had two relatives killed on the roads. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher experienced a burglary in her home by two individuals who were convicted murderers. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teacher was removed from the register of teachers for at least five years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe panel found the allegations proven and that they amounted to professional misconduct and breaches of the Code of Conduct for Teachers. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher was suffering from a gambling addiction at the time of the allegations. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher had been affected by personal tragedies including the loss of family members and a burglary at her apartment. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher repaid her three work colleagues. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher resigned from her position at the school. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher, school and witnesses could not be identified by order of the panel. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe director of the Teaching Council, represented by Fieldfisher Solicitors, made the complaint. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 14 Aug2025
    Convictedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Schoolteacher who defrauded colleagues of €2,000 barred from teaching for at least five years

    Reports the Teaching Council's decision to remove the teacher from the register for at least five years following a professional misconduct inquiry, noting she had previously appeared in court where the Probation Act was applied without a conviction.

    convicted, femalevictimvictimvictim
  2. 14 Aug2025
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Teacher struck off after defrauding colleagues out of €2,000 in 'elaborate hoax'

    First report of the Teaching Council striking off a primary school teacher for professional misconduct involving a multi-month fraud on colleagues and a school loan default, with a five-year ban on reapplication.

    accused, early 30s, femalevictimvictimvictim