Dundalk Court: Former health care worker stole from elderly Magdalene Laundry survivor
The man stole over €4,000 from the elderly woman after meeting her while volunteering to visit hospital patients
A former health care assistant who stole over €4,000 from an elderly survivor of the Magdalene Laundries, who he met while volunteering to visit patients in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, in Drogheda, Co Louth has been jailed for 15 months at Dundalk Circuit Court.
The thefts came to light after a discharge coordinator at the Louth County Hospital contacted the defendant, looking for the woman’s financial statements so she could apply for the Fair Deal scheme for nursing home care.
The court heard last Wednesday that Jason McGovern (36) originally from Kells, Co. Meath but now with an address at Park Lane, Portarlington, Co. Laois took over looking after her finances in May 2014 and had her bank card to pay expenses like rent and ESB for her.
In addition to her State pension, the woman had received €50,000 from the Redress Board.
The theft from her bank account over a four year period was discovered when he was contacted by the discharge coordinator, the financial statements that were sought for her application to the Fair Deal scheme weren’t forthcoming.
When they were obtained and shown to the victim, she expressed disbelief that the defendant was responsible. She passed away in 2021.
The court was told he had repaid and was assessed as being at low risk of reoffending and had repaid the money.
Judge Dara Hayes imposed concurrent sentences totalling two years and nine months with the final 18 months suspended.