Scammer duped buyers into paying for non-existent tickets

Two people who used the Done Deal website to con others into lodging money into their bank accounts in return for non-existent tickets and car parts, have each been given time to repay their victims.

Ioan Makula (43), 52 Fearann Rí, Doughiska, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court to three charges of theft and three involving deception, by inducing three people to lodge various amounts of money into his bank account on dates in March and April last year, with the promise of Munster rugby and English Premiership tickets, which never existed.

All three people had responded to adverts on the Done Deal website offering tickets at knockdown prices.

The first victim rang the number on the website and willingly lodged €150 into Makula’s bank account on April 8 last year with the promise of Munster rugby match tickets. They never arrived in the post.

The second victim also responded to an advert on the Done Deal website on May 30 last year and lodged money into Makula’s account for two Manchester United v Liverpool tickets, which he never received.

The third victim lodged €150 to the same bank account for another Premiership match on May 14 last year. No tickets arrived for that either.

Defence solicitor, Brian Gilmartin said there were other individuals involved behind the scenes, but his client had been left to carry the can.

“To say he was naive would be putting it mildly as all the evidence points to his bank account,” Mr Gilmartin said of his client.

Mr Gilmartin said his client accepted he owed victims – including others who were not the subject of the charges before the court – a total of €1,520. He had brought €300 to court and if given more time, he would repay the balance.

Judge Grainne O’Neill agreed to adjourn sentence to January for the payment of further compensation.

The second accused was Kayona Ward (23), a mother of two from 18 Carn Ard, Circular Road.

She pleaded guilty to four charges of theft and deception.

Inspector Kevin Gately said one man lodged €1,000 to Ward’s bank account on May 26 last to buy a engine which was advertised on the Done Deal website. The engine did not exist.

Another woman lodged €170 to Ward’s bank account for engine parts a day earlier. She never received them either.

Insp Gately said that when questioned by Gardai, Ward said her bank account details and her PIN code had been taken from her and she had no knowledge of it.

He explained that adverts had been placed on the Done Deal website with a phone number and when victims rang the number, they were given Ward’s bank account number and told to lodge their money in return for items which they never received.

He said Ward was aware that money was coming into her account and she knew she was not entitled to it.

Defence solicitor, Noel Rhattigan, said his client had a baby just three weeks ago and had one other young child.

He said she was in debt and had money difficulties and was offered a reduction in the debt she owed if she gave her bank account details to a third party.

Mr Rhattigan said Ward was sorry for her role and she never benefited financially from it.

Judge O’Neill adjourned sentence to December 16 for Ward to repay the money owed to both victims.