Lucan man spared criminal record after falsely claiming €2,800 in PUP payments

Nosakhare Ehrunmwunse (21) received eight payments into his post office account before he was arrested and charged with deception.

He was spared a criminal record after Dublin District Court heard he was only 19 years old at the time and “made a mistake”.

Judge Bryan Smyth applied the Probation Act.

Ehrunmwunse, from Rossecourt Terrace, Balgaddy, Lucan, pleaded guilty to eight counts of dishonestly inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay him PUP when he was not entitled to claim it.

Garda Sergeant Michelle Lynch said it was reported to gardaí on July 7, 2021, that a victim’s PPS number was fraudulently used to obtain the PUP.

A total of eight payments of €350 were paid by the Department of Social Protection between April 30 and June 1 that year, to an An Post account in the name of the accused at the GPO. Ehrunmwunse was subsequently arrested.

When questioned, the accused was “decent enough to deal with” but did not indicate the name of a third party involved, the court heard.

Ehrunmwunse had no previous convictions. Defence solicitor Holly Laher said her client had a “lapse in judgment” when he got involved.

“He was stuck for money at the time and took a chance, albeit a foolish one,” she said.

He regretted what he did and had paid full compensation.

Ehrunmwunse was only 19 at the time of the offences and “made a mistake”, Ms Laher said. He was very remorseful, and had not come to garda attention since.

Judge Smyth said the accused was “probably deserving of a conviction” but he took account of his age, his guilty plea and the fact he had repaid the loss to the State.