Elderly woman who alleges carer stole from her very annoyed her money was gone, trial told

By Sarah-Jane Murphy

An elderly stroke victim who alleges her former carer stole thousands of euro from her later told gardai that she was very annoyed her money was gone, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Sabrina O'Connor (37) of The Green, Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, has pleaded not guilty to 13 charges of theft and one count of deception in Dublin 13 on dates between 2010 and 2011.

The State allege that Ms O'Connor stole from the woman's bank account while she worked as a carer over a period of two years.

Today (Thurs) the alleged injured party told Oisin Clarke BL, defending, that she told gardai she was very annoyed that her money was gone.

The woman denied that a female friend had assisted her memory in any way when she was making her statement to gardai regarding the alleged thefts.

She told Mr Clarke she agreed to lend Ms O'Connor money after the defendant told her she needed to have an operation on her leg.

When asked if the accused had paid her back she told Mr Clarke there was “no way” this had occurred.

The witness said that Ms O'Connor told her she would repay the money when she started working again.

Earlier during his opening speech prosecution counsel told the jury it would hear that the accused had access to certain of the woman's documents and information.

Noel Devitt BL, prosecuting, said there would be evidence that Ms O'Connor stole a €15,000 bank draft which she used to secure an option to purchase or rent a house.

He said the jury would hear that Ms O'Connor stole a €8,500 bank draft from the woman to buy a Land Rover vehicle.

Mr Devitt said in other instances the accused used cheques to take money from the woman's account and spent the money for her own benefit.

The elderly woman told Mr Devitt that after her stroke, she had other people take money out of her bank account for her. She said Ms O'Connor, who was then her carer, mostly had access to this account.

She said Ms O'Connor bought food for her using bank cards attached to the account. She said the accused would pay bills for her using cheques.

The complainant said she kept her cheque book in an unlocked drawer in her house. She said she would put her initials only on the cheque as she wasn't able to write out other details.

The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of seven women and five men.