Three Years For Ex-Garda Who Robbed 82-Year-Old Woman

A former garda officer has been sentenced to three years for the theft of thousands of euros from colleagues and an elderly woman.

A court heard how 30-year-old David Foran responded to a burglary at an elderly woman’s home and found she had hidden nearly €2,000 in her bedroom. He later returned to steal the cash. He also collected about €3,000 from his Garda colleagues to organise events which he then used to pay his own debts.

Sentencing Foran, Judge Mary Ellen Ring commented: “A meaner crime is difficult to find”.

She said Foran’s breach of trust was more important than the money he stole. She noted the Garda motto is to protect and serve, but he had done neither for the then 82-year-old woman.

“He violated her safety to take money she had worked for 40 years to be entitled to,” Judge Ring said.

“This violation took place while he was wearing the Garda uniform. This undermines the trust elderly people have in gardaí. I can only hope that trust can be regained.”

Judge Ring said Foran exploited his relationship with his colleagues to take their money so he could alleviate his own problems. She noted he was deeply in debt and that his take home pay was as low as €25 a week after debt repayments.

She accepted that Foran pleaded guilty, avoiding the need for the elderly woman to give evidence. She also noted his previous good record and his psychiatric problems before suspending the final six months of the sentence.

Foran gasped and held his head in his hands as sentence was handed down.

(H)