By Eimear Dodd
A woman who stole almost €23,000 from her employer has been given a suspended sentence.
Natalie Brennan (33) was hired as a junior finance administrator at the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland in 2014 and was considered an exemplary employee by her employers.
However, they noticed changes in her behaviour in 2019 after she started a new relationship, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
Garda Sergeant Fionnuala Lawlor gave evidence that Brennan asked for an advance on her wages in July 2022 to pay her then-partner’s debt.
Her employers were concerned, but they gave her an advance of her wages, which was repaid.
Brennan later made a similar request for more money, saying she wanted to repay her boyfriend’s debt, and this was again granted.
She took leave in December 2022 and returned to work in January 2023.
At this point, questions were raised about monies not adding up in the accounting system.
Gda Sgt Lawlor told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that Brennan’s responsibilities included making refunds on the credit card system if there was an overpayment.
34 transactions totalling €22,857 were identified on the system between September 2022 and February 2023.
Brennan was asked about it during a meeting, and said mistakes were being made and that she’d look into it.
During a second meeting, Brennan admitted she’d taken the money, she apologised and resigned.
The court heard it was identified during the investigation that the money was going to bank and Revolut accounts in Brennan’s name.
Brennan (33) of Greenfort Gardens, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 pleaded guilty to three counts of theft between September 2022 and January 2023.
She has no previous convictions.
The court heard that the money has not been paid back.
Gda Sgt Lawlor agreed with Oisin Clarke, BL, defending, that Brennan was considered an exemplary employee, and her employer expressed shock, disappointment and sorrow about what had happened.
It was further accepted that her employer was concerned about her behaviour change after she started a new relationship in 2019.
The witness also agreed that Brennan’s former partner has served a custodial sentence.
The garda also agreed that Brennan was cooperative during the investigation, accepted responsibility, and expressed remorse when interviewed.
There is no indication that she benefitted from the money or was living an extravagant lifestyle.
Mr Clarke asked the court to take into account that gardai accept Brennan’s criminal behaviour came about as she was “under pressure from another individual, who has some element of criminality attached to him”.
He noted that her employer had expressed concern for her well-being before the offending occurred.
Letters from family members were handed to the court. Brennan has one child and is a carer for her mother.
Mr Clarke said his client had left that relationship and wished to repay the money but was not working due to her caring responsibilities.
He asked the court to consider her previous good character and to give her time to save a concrete expression of remorse.
He suggested that an immediate custodial sentence is not required in this case.
Judge Martin Nolan said it seemed that domestic financial pressure had driven her to steal the money.
“She wasn’t too lucky in her choice of partner, who has ended up in custody,” he noted.
He said that it was unlikely that she could ever pay this money back, and that her former employer could consider a civil action against her.
The judge said that there was a huge breach of trust, but he did not think it would be just to imprison her.
She became emotional as he imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years.