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24/07/2012
Ulster Bank Employee Jailed For Stealing From Accounts
A bank employee has been jailed for two years after stealing a six figure sum from her employer.
Sorcha Halpin (27) formerly of Beverton Gardens, Donabate, stole almost €330,000 from Ulster Bank accounts while she was working there.
She took €303,500 from the account of an elderly female customer, and debited €2,516 from another account, to pay solicitors during the purchase of a house.
Three months later she drew €16,445 from a third customer's account to pay off her partner's car loan.
She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of stealing a bank draft from Ulster Bank, Blanchardstown, between September and December 2009.
Det Garda Meenan told Colm O'Briain, prosecuting, that Halpin had been working at the branch for seven years as a customer service officer and had access to 'suspense accounts', where funds are held that may be in dispute.
Halpin used these accounts to plug the gaps where she had stolen from customers' accounts, meaning her theft did not come to the bank's attention until January 2011.
Once the Ulster Bank became aware of the irregularities Halpin's actions were easily traced, as she had used her own login details to complete the transactions.
Halpin admitted to the crimes immediately and said no-one but her knew what she had done.
Her partner told gardai she had told him she won the Lotto.
Halpin lost her job at Ulster Bank in March 2011 and the value of the house will be used to repay the bank.
Judge Martin Nolan said: "To call this a misjudgment is an understatement. What she did was a serious crime."
(NE)
Sorcha Halpin (27) formerly of Beverton Gardens, Donabate, stole almost €330,000 from Ulster Bank accounts while she was working there.
She took €303,500 from the account of an elderly female customer, and debited €2,516 from another account, to pay solicitors during the purchase of a house.
Three months later she drew €16,445 from a third customer's account to pay off her partner's car loan.
She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of stealing a bank draft from Ulster Bank, Blanchardstown, between September and December 2009.
Det Garda Meenan told Colm O'Briain, prosecuting, that Halpin had been working at the branch for seven years as a customer service officer and had access to 'suspense accounts', where funds are held that may be in dispute.
Halpin used these accounts to plug the gaps where she had stolen from customers' accounts, meaning her theft did not come to the bank's attention until January 2011.
Once the Ulster Bank became aware of the irregularities Halpin's actions were easily traced, as she had used her own login details to complete the transactions.
Halpin admitted to the crimes immediately and said no-one but her knew what she had done.
Her partner told gardai she had told him she won the Lotto.
Halpin lost her job at Ulster Bank in March 2011 and the value of the house will be used to repay the bank.
Judge Martin Nolan said: "To call this a misjudgment is an understatement. What she did was a serious crime."
(NE)
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