Conman sentenced for duping Loughrea woman out of cash

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A conman, described by a judge as a “career thief and fraudster” has been sentenced to three years in prison for duping a Loughrea woman into handing over €3,000 for bogus roof repairs. 30 year old Patrick O'Brien, from 10 Convent Road, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, pleaded guilty before Galway Circuit Criminal Court to the theft of €3,180 from the woman on February 10th. Garda Loretta Creggs told the sentence hearing that Patrick O'Brien and another man called to the woman's home at 4p.m. on the date in question and offered to clean the gutters. She refused but O'Brien said he would have a look anyway. He told the woman afterwards that the gutters were dirty and the roof would need repairs. He offered to do it for cash so she withdrew money from the bank for him. He told the woman she would receive documents in the post in three days for a grant and he would call back to her house then and do the work. O'Brien never called back so she told her neighbours and the Gardai were alerted. O'Brien called the woman by phone a few days later looking for more money. He hung up when she told him she had contacted the Gardai. Prosecuting barrister, Conor Fahy said none of the money was recovered. Garda Creggs said O' Brien had 26 previous convictions for mostly similar offences and was currently serving a 12-month sentence. Passing sentence, Judge Rory McCabe said the accused was a career criminal and fraudster. He said the woman had been deprived of her life savings. Imposing three years on the accused, he said he had given the accused more credit than he deserved.