‘Vulnerable’ men became victims of thefts after being lured into car

A woman who claims she has a gambling problem, preyed on two elderly and vulnerable men, stealing cash from both of them.

Maura Dillon (48), of An Cimin Mór, Cappagh Road, Galway, pleaded guilty to the theft of €500 and a bus pass from an elderly patient being treated for a heart condition at UHG on February 22 last when she appeared before Galway District Court.

The mother of two also pleaded guilty to the theft of €100 from a 76-year-old man at Maree Road, Oranmore on November 15 last.

Sergeant Brendan Moore said the first offence occurred when Dillon stopped her car alongside an elderly man in Oranmore village at 11am on November 15 last and asked him for directions to Maree. She asked him to get into the car and show her the way and he agreed.

She turned the car around in Maree and was on the return journey to Oranmore when she stopped and told the man his seat belt was not on properly.

She leaned across as if to fix the belt, but instead stole an envelope which contained two €50 notes from the inside pocket of the elderly man’s jacket.  She then dropped him off in Oranmore.  He later noticed the money had been taken.

CCTV captured the elderly man getting out of Dillon’s car.

Sgt Moore said the second offence involved another vulnerable man who was making his way to the acute ward in UHG for a heart check-up at 1.30pm on February 22 last.

Dillon again pulled her car alongside him as he walked to the hospital and offered him a lift. He refused to get into the car and walked on.  She persisted by pulling alongside the man further up the road and speaking to him in Irish. He answered her in Irish and agreed to take the lift.

She went into the hospital with him for his heart check-up. She asked him if he had money for food while sitting on the bed before the check-up and he told her his wallet was in his trousers which were left on the bed.

He went for the tests and later discovered the wallet was taken when he returned to his cubicle to get dressed.  It had contained €500 and a bus pass.

CCTV at the hospital identified Dillon as the culprit. The cash was not recovered in either case, Sgt Moore added. He confirmed Dillon had no previous convictions.

Defending solicitor, Colin Lynch said his client was a 48-year-old woman with a partner and two children, aged 20 and five. They were all dependent on her and a letter from her GP was handed into court.

Mr Lynch said his client had developed a “bad habit” of gambling and that was why she ended up committing these offence for which she was deeply ashamed, he said.

Mr Lynch said his client had brought €100 to court and would pay the balance if given more time.

Judge Grainne O’Neill said Dillon had since last November to pay the compensation and she had come into court with just €100.

“That’s not exactly impressive. This was a very nasty crime, preying on vulnerable people.  There was a level of premeditation involved that I would not expect from a woman her age with no previous convictions, involving an ill man with a heart condition and a 76 year-old man,” Judge O’Neill observed.

She directed the €100 be handed over for the victims and let the matter stand until the afternoon sitting of the court for Dillon to come up with more compensation.

In the afternoon, Mr Lynch said his client had managed to come up with another €100.

“That’s not putting her best foot forward,” Judge O’Neill warned before deciding to adjourn sentencing to October for the balance of compensation to be paid.  She directed a probation report on the accused prior to sentence in October.