Woman who deceived Limerick tradesmen ordered to pay back money owed

A WOMAN who deceived tradesmen has been warned she will go to prison if she does not pay the outstanding monies in full.

In one case, Kathleen Byrnes, aged 39, with a home address at Silverbirch Grove, Dooradoyle, left an empty purse ‘for payment’ at a garage in Ballysimon after getting tyres fitted on her vehicle.

Barrister John O’Sullivan told Limerick Circuit Court that on April 23, 2020 Ms Byrnes filled her purse with a “crushed can of coke, [which] was done to give the impression that there was cash”.

The tyre fitting service cost €1,067 - and Ms Byrnes left the garage without payment.

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Ms Byrnes has also admitted a second count of deception arising from the installation of new doors at her home.

In that case, Mr O’Sullivan outlined the facts with the assistance of Garda Ambrose Talty.

He said the defendant told the carpenter that she was working as a hairdresser and that her husband was working full time, which was “false”.

The court heard €3,000 remains outstanding and that Ms. Byrnes attempted to negotiate the carpenter down to €1,300.

Mr O’Sullivan said the complainant made several attempts to get his money from Ms Byrne to no avail.

In an interview at Henry Street garda station, Ms Byrnes told gardaí that “she wasn’t happy with work done on her car at the garage” and alleged that the carpenter “did a bad job”.

Mr O'Sullivan described her actions as a “brazen deception”.

Judge Colin Daly heard the woman has a “history of theft charges all dealt with in the lower courts” and has a number of young children - including a new born baby.

BL Patrick Whyms, defending, said his client still owes €2,200 - dating back 2020 and he acknowledged this to be a “very slow repayment.”

Mr Whyms said: “She realises she has run out of the road in that regard”.

Judge Daly noted that Ms Byrnes is drawing social welfare, which is at odds with the services she obtained.

In the circumstances, he imposed a two year prison sentence which he deferred for nine months, pending a review.

“If the money is in court on October 5, I will suspend the sentence in its entirety,” he said.

-Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme