Two men have appeared in Carlow Circuit Criminal Court on charges of cheating and fraud at a post office last January regarding the pension of a deceased retiree.
Eclan Haughney (40), of Pollerton Road, Carlow, is said to have taken the body of his late uncle Peadar Doyle (66) to a nearby post office to claim his pension payment.
Gardaí believes the pensioner was already dead when he was taken to the post office.
During an earlier hearing of the Carlow District Court in May, Detective Garda Kieran Shields gave evidence of Mr Haughney’s arrest, indictment and warning
The defendant was further charged with attempted deception and attempted theft at Hosey’s Post Office and Shop, Staplestown Road, Carlow, on January 21.
Mr Haughney was originally charged with two counts of cheating in connection with the alleged use of a Social Security card. Det Shields informed the court that those charges were being dropped by the state.
The director of the Public Prosecution Service (DPP) indicated in the case that the charge would be heard in court, if there was an admission of guilt. However, Mr Haughney has indicated repeatedly on various hearing dates that he would contest the charges.
It is alleged that Mr Haughney attempted to collect a €246 pension payment he owed to his late uncle. He is further charged with unfairly inciting a staff member in the same premises – at 11:14 am. Both charges violate Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offenses) Act, 2001.
Mr Haughney is also accused of entering the post office at 11:04 a.m. where he “dishonestly seduced by deceit” a staff member. The suspect is still in custody, despite having previously been granted bail. A small cash payment has been filed with the court.
His friend, another man from Carlow, was charged with stealing Mr Doyle’s state pension, in the amount of €246, on 21 January 2022 from Hosey’s Post Office, Staplestown Road, Carlow.
That man is also charged with attempted deception of a post office worker of €246 during the same incident. The suspect has been released on bail.
Both men are represented by attorney Brendan O’Flaherty.
The Garda investigation so far has shown that the pensioner did not die suddenly at the post office. Officers also found evidence that Mr. Doyle was alive earlier that morning.
An autopsy determined that there was no malicious intent in Mr Doyle’s death, but could only estimate the time of death as sometime on that Friday morning.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly adjourned the case until November 8 before the same court to gather further documents and evidence.