'You saw her death as an opportunity': Cork woman impersonated dead cousin and took €21,900 from her account

A 60-year-old woman presented herself in the name of her 77-year-old cousin, who had just died, and withdrew everything from the dead woman’s credit-union account: €21,900. This week, she was jailed for nine months.

Sheila Ahern, of Liam Burke Terrace, Ballyhooly, County Cork, was sentenced to 18 months, with half of it suspended, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge John Martin noted that she showed utter contempt and disregard for the memory of her late cousin, and so soon after her unexpected death.

“You went to the credit union disguising yourself, masquerading as a person who was dead and only just dead,” the judge said. “You did not see her death as a time of grief and reflection, you saw her death as an opportunity to strike: To get all her bank details, get into her credit union and impersonate her. Fortunately, you were foiled and all but €50 was returned.”

Aggravating factors included the fact that she knew the person she stole from and did so at the most difficult time for any family.

While the accused was represented for the sentencing hearing by defence barrister Alan O’Dwyer, she spoke during the judgement when reference was made to her relationship with her late cousin. She said: “We were very close, your honour.”

The judge acknowledged that her plea of guilty and her apology showed goodness and that she seemed remorseful and embarrassed for what she had done.

Sheila Ahern admitted stealing Kathleen Cahill’s money 48 hours after Ms Cahill had died in hospital.

The deceased woman’s son, Patrick (Patsy) Cahill, spoke of how disappointed, disgusted, and saddened he was to hear of this happening so soon after he he lost his mother.

Ms Ahern used to assist the deceased and do shopping for her. Mr Cahill said: “My mother always treated her well. And everything Sheila did for her, my mother paid her. It was such a hard time when my mother died. To get the phone call that night of my mother’s removal, I will never forget it.

“I could not grieve my mother properly. I had this situation on my mind throughout the funeral. It caused a divide in the family.

“My mother worked hard for what she earned. The fact that Sheila had gone within a matter of hours of her death shows a lack of respect of the memory of my mother.”

Detective Garda Brian O’Connor said the accused wore a covid mask and head scarf and presented herself in the name of her dead relative at Synergy credit union in Fermoy on December 22, 2022 and closed the account and withdrew over €21,900 that was in it.

Most of that was in the form of a cheque. She then removed her mask and scarf and presented as herself to lodge it in her AIB account in Fermoy.

Because it was in the deceased’s name, it could not be done. So she put the scarf and mask back on and returned to the credit union asking for it to be put into her own name, pretending that this was the name of a niece to whom she wanted to give the money.

She then returned to the bank as herself again to lodge this cheque. However, all of this activity alerted suspicion and gardaí arrested her that day and charged her with counts of theft, deception, and money-laundering, to which she pleaded guilty. All but €50 of the stolen money was recovered.