Thursday 29 October 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. 7808Attempted deception · Co. Carlow · 21 Jan 2022

Two men jailed for attempting to collect dead man's pension in Carlow

Declan Haughney, 41, and Gareth Coakley, 37 (one report gives 38), both of Carlow, were charged over an attempt to collect the €246 weekly State pension of Peadar Doyle, a 66-year-old man found dead inside Hosey's Post Office on Staplestown Road, Carlow town, on 21 January 2022. Haughney, Doyle's nephew, was accused of trying to collect the pension with the body present, and both men were charged with attempted deception and attempted theft. Both men pleaded not guilty at Carlow Circuit Court on 18 July 2023, then pleaded guilty on 19 July and were remanded in custody. On 21 July 2023 Haughney was sentenced to 2½ years with the last six months suspended, and Coakley to two years with the final six months suspended.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court18 Jul
    3 reports
  5. Convicted19 Jul
  6. Sentenced21 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Declan Haughney and Gareth Coakley were accused of attempting to collect the €246 weekly State pension of Peadar Doyle, who was found dead inside the post office.
  • Haughney was accused of trying to collect his late uncle's pension with the body present.
  • Doyle, a 66-year-old man, was Haughney's uncle; Haughney is also spelled Haugney and Coakley is also spelled Garreth in some reports.
  • Coakley is 37 in most reports, though one report gives his age as 38.
Where
The incident happened at Hosey's Post Office on Staplestown Road, Carlow town.
When
The offence occurred on 21 January 2022, and Doyle died on that day, the judge said.
Cause
The judge said there was no foul play and that death was estimated to have happened on the morning in question.
Investigation
Detective Garda Kieran Shields gave evidence of Haughney's arrest, charge and caution at Carlow District Court in May 2022.
Charges
  • Both men were charged with attempted deception of post office worker Margaret O'Toole and attempted theft of Doyle's pension of €246.
  • Sources differ on the legal basis: one says both charges are under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, and another says attempted deception contrary to common law.
In court
  • Both men pleaded not guilty at Carlow Circuit Court on 18 July 2023, when a jury was sworn in before Judge Eugene O'Kelly.
  • Both men pleaded guilty on 19 July 2023, the jury was discharged, and both were remanded in custody until sentencing.
Other details
  • Haughney was on bail at the time of the offence and had 55 previous convictions.
  • A garda told the court that Coakley had nine previous bench warrants, the most recent in 2020.
Sentence
  • On 21 July 2023 Haughney was sentenced to 2½ years with the last six months suspended, and Coakley to two years with the final six months suspended.
  • The offence carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
51 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTwo men pleaded not guilty to attempting to steal a pension and attempted deception at a post office in Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo men pleaded guilty to attempted deception of a post office worker concerning a dead man's pension. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo men pleaded guilty to attempted deception over a E246 pension belonging to Peadar Doyle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPeadar Doyle was found dead inside the post office. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatDeclan Haugney was accused of trying to collect his uncle's weekly pension with the body present. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo men were jailed for trying to collect a dead man's pension from a post office in Carlow. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe pensioner was found dead in Hoseys Post Office. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe alleged incident occurred at Hosey's Post Office on the Staplestown Road in Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe attempted deception took place at Hosey's post office on Staplestown Road, Carlow town. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident happened at Hosey's Post Office on the Staplestown Road in Carlow. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe offence occurred at Hosey's Post Office on Staplestown Road. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe pensioner was found dead on January 21 last year. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe alleged incident occurred on 21 January 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attempted theft of the pension charge refers to 21 January 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident happened on January 21 last year. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe offence took place on 21 January 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationDetective Garda evidence of Haughney's arrest, charge and caution was given at Carlow District Court in May 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA garda received a call at 11.15am that a man was being dragged along Bridge Street by two others. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeDeclan Haughney is charged with deception. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHaughney allegedly tried to collect a €246 pension payment owed to his late uncle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeGarreth Coakley is charged with attempting to deceive a post office employee out of €246. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBoth charges are under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeDeclan Haugney and Gareth Coakley are accused of attempted deception and attempted theft of a pension of €246 belonging to Peadar Doyle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBoth men were charged with attempted deception of Margaret O'Toole contrary to common law. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe pair also faced a charge of attempted theft of the old-age pension of Peadar Doyle, totalling €246. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBoth men pleaded guilty to attempted deception in relation to the State pension of Peadar Doyle. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial of two men accused of deception is beginning at Carlow Circuit Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA jury was due to be sworn in on the afternoon of the report. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial was expected to last six to seven days. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtCoakley was remanded on continuing bail. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth men appeared before Carlow Circuit Court on a Tuesday as a jury was sworn in for a trial expected to last six or seven days. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth men pleaded not guilty before Judge Eugene O'Kelly. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Haugney pleaded not guilty to attempted deception of Margaret O'Toole. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the offence. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe men changed their pleas on one of the two charges, and the jury was discharged. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBoth men were remanded in custody until Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial was due to start, but both men pleaded guilty and the jury was dismissed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe judge remanded both men in custody until Friday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at the Circuit Criminal Court in Carlow before Judge Eugene O'Kelly. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge said an outline of the case would be given on Friday, when sentencing would occur. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge asked for a victim impact report from the deceased man's family and a report from a prison governor. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceBoth men will be sentenced on Friday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe offence carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHaughney was sentenced to 2½ years with the last six months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceCoakley was sentenced to two years with the final six months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe trial was due to begin on Wednesday and was expected to run into the following week. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA garda told the court that Mr Coakley had nine previous bench warrants issued against him, the most recent in 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherDeclan Haugney has been on remand in Wheatfield Prison, where he is doing a brick-laying course. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMr Doyle died on the day of the offence, the judge said. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said there was no foul play. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHaughney was on bail at the time of the offence and had 55 previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Jul2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Two men jailed for trying to collect dead man’s pension in Carlow

    Reports the Circuit Criminal Court guilty pleas, sentences and suspensions for both men, the court evidence and the victim's family statement.

    victim, Peadar Doyle, male, irish (judged from name)Peadar Doyleconvicted, Declan Haughney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Haughneyconvicted, Gareth Coakley, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gareth Coakley
  2. 19 Jul2023
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Nephew pleads guilty to attempted deception over dead uncle's pension

    Both men pleaded guilty on the day the trial was due to start, the jury was dismissed, and sentencing is set for Friday. Both were remanded in custody until then, and the offence carries a maximum of five years in prison.

    accused, Declan Haugney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Haugneyaccused, Gareth Coakley, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gareth Coakley
  3. 19 Jul2023
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Two men plead guilty to attempting to deceive post office worker over dead man’s pension in Carlow

    Guilty pleas entered by two co-accused to one of two charges; the trial was discharged and sentencing is due on Friday.

    convicted, Declan Haughney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Haughneyconvicted, Gareth Coakley, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gareth Coakleyvictim, Peadar Doyle, 66, male, irish (judged from name)Peadar Doylevictim, Margaret O'Toole, irish (judged from name)Margaret O'Toole
  4. 18 Jul2023
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Two plead not guilty over alleged pension theft attempt in Carlow post office

    Reports the not guilty pleas and the start of the Carlow Circuit Court trial of two men over an alleged attempt to steal a pension at a post office.

    accused, Declan Haugney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Haugneyaccused, Gareth Coakley, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gareth Coakleyvictim, Peadar Doyle, male, irish (judged from name)Peadar Doylevictim, Margaret O'Toole, irish (judged from name)Margaret O'Toole
  5. 18 Jul2023
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Trial to begin over pensioner discovered to be dead in post office

    First report of the Carlow Circuit Court trial of Declan Haughney and Garreth Coakley over the deception incident at Hoseys Post Office; the article adds the trial start, its expected length, the charges and bail status.

    accused, Declan Haughney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Haughneyaccused, Garreth Coakley, male, named, irish (judged from name)Garreth Coakley