A woman who agreed to let a man she was to me one night use her bank account in exchange for € 3,000 she needs for an operation in Turkey has been given a suspended sentence .
The bank account of Jessica Serra, described as vulnerable, was then used to launder € 72,000 stolen from Bus Éireann in a so-called email fraud.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Bus Éireann received an email in October 2019 pretending to come from GoBus informing him of that company’s new bank account details.
Staff at Bus Éireann updated his bank details for GoBus, and a few days later € 72,000 was paid from Bus Éireann to the new GoBus bank account.
Bank of Ireland subsequently contacted GoBus to inform him that he suspected fraudulent activities on his account. GoBus informed Bus Éireann of this, and it was discovered that the € 72,000 paid by Bus Éireann had not been received by GoBus.
Gardaí was contacted and the fraudulent bank account was frozen. A meeting was arranged between the bank and the holder of the bank account, Serra (30) of Margaret’s Road, Finglas, Dublin 18,
Gardaí attended this meeting and arrested Serra. Garda Conor O’Dwyer told the court Serra informed them she had met a man one evening who told her that if she allowed him to use her bank account, he would give her € 3,000.
Serra had hoped to travel to Turkey for surgery at the time, but she turned down the offer. The court heard that Serra had been quoted € 6,000 for her operation in Turkey, and she reconsidered the offer and contacted the man. When her bank account was frozen, only € 44,000 was present.
Gda O’Dwyer told the court Serra has no previous convictions and is originally from Italy. She previously worked as a babysitter and for Dunnes Stores.
Mr Diarmuid Collins, BL, defender, told the court that his client had significant mental health issues and was suffering from depression. During her garda interview, Serra was visibly upset and feared that since her father is in poor health, she might never see him again.
Mr Collins told the court Serra was a vulnerable and easily manipulated woman.
Judge Martin Nolan said the accused acted recklessly and knew she had acted unlawfully when she took the money. Her early admission of guilt, her full confessions and lack of any previous convictions will all be considered mitigating factors.
Judge Nolan sentenced the accused to two years in prison, but suspended it in full on the condition that she keep the peace and behave well.