Woman in the Midlands accused of dishonestly taking thousands for a wedding reception

A judge wanted proof that a woman who failed to appear in court on a third occasion for dishonestly taking €4,000 for a wedding reception was in hospital. 

May Stanley (58) of 3 Slieve Bloom Heights, Rathdowney, is accused of dishonestly taking €3,500 from one person and €500 from another person for a wedding reception on dates between February 1, 2022 and February 10, 2022. 

The woman didn’t appear before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court where her solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said she had been instructed that the defendant was in hospital. 

“She was on her holidays in July,” Judge Susan Fay noted about a previous none appearance by the woman. 

“And then she had Covid in September,” Ms Fitzpatrick confirmed. 

She said she had brought a sum of €2,000 to court for the injured parties. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby described it as a fairly serious incident. He said he would like to see some proof that the woman wasn’t in court because she was in hospital. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said she didn’t believe she would be able to get a letter before court had finished. 

Judge Fay ordered that €1,500 be given to one injured party and a €500 be given to the other from the €2,000 in court.

She remanded the case back to  March 10, 2025 and said the defendant was to have a letter from the hospital confirming she was in treatment on the date of the court sitting.