Jail for scamming householder
A three-month jail term was imposed on a young Kerry man for his part in conning a middle-aged householder in Cork to pay €50 to clean gutters but then securing a total of €4,250 by deception.
Detective Garda David Hickey said that, after agreeing to the €50 price, the householder went to hospital for an appointment and when that was completed there were numerous missed calls on his phones about how much was owed due to various problems allegedly encountered with tiles and facia and soffit.
Ricky Casey, aged 21, of 202 Ballyspillane, Killarney, pleaded guilty to his part in obtaining €4,250 by deception at College Rd, Cork, on various dates between February 9 and February 13, 2018.
Det Garda Hickey said the householder agreed to pay €50 to have his gutters cleared on February 9 but the cleaners returned later to get another €600.
They returned again the following day and were paid €1,600 and, on the following Tuesday, they were paid €2,000.
Solicitor Eddie Burke said Casey had no such issues against him in the past. He also said Casey’s role in the crime was limited to doing the physical work at the behest of others and that he was paid no more than €150. Mr Burke said the accused did not go to the front door to get money from the homeowner.
Mr Burke said Casey accused “would be easily influenced by older people who were involved and they were far cuter”.
The judge said: “He chose who to be with. I will impose a sentence of three months, backdated to February 5 in the circumstances, to balance with the level of his involvement and the time already spent in custody.
“I am not going to go chasing rainbows ordering him to pay compensation. The only way he would raise compensation would be with new offending.”
