Waterford man jailed for fraudulently collecting social welfare payments after his brother died
O'Neill was sentenced at Waterford Courthouse.
A Ferrybank man will spend two years in prison for stealing almost €60,000 from the State.
Paul O'Neill, of Belmont Heights, Ferrybank, appeared at Waterford Circuit Court before Judge Eugene O’Kelly for sentencing.
The 52-year-old is understood to have fraudulently collected social welfare payments for up to two years following the death of his brother Darren. Darren had received a terminal diagnosis and passed away on January 19, 2020. Paul acted as carer for the last year of his brother’s life.
However, after Darren’s passing, Paul did not inform the Department of Social Protection about his brother's death.
The late Darren O'Neill had been in receipt of weekly disability payments from the Department, while Paul received a carer’s allowance. Soon after the death, the Department received a call from a man claiming to be Darren, notifying a change of address.
Gardaí reviewed CCTV in Ferrybank showing Paul wearing his brother’s clothing and using his Bank of Ireland debit card to make transactions across Waterford. Footage also showed O'Neill collecting his carer's allowance. He was arrested by Gardaí in March 2022.
When Gardaí inspected O'Neill's home, he claimed to not have made the call to the Department requesting an address change. However, once Gardaí called the same number, a phone started ringing in one of the rooms of the house.
In total, O'Neill gained €59,855.50 from the State by fraudulently collecting both disability payments and carer's allowance.
Defence counsel Gareth Hayden BL told the Court that his client had "drunk himself into delirium" after the death of his brother and was hugely impacted by the loss.
Judge O'Kelly imposed a sentence of two years and nine months, with the final nine months suspended. O'Neill will be subject to 12 months of supervision post release.
