Woman with Kildare address used false prescriptions in Offaly pharmacy
Tullamore District Court hears Edenderry pharmacist phoned gardai after becoming suspicious of patient who subsequently admitted using fake name and address
A WOMAN forged prescriptions from a Kildare-based GP and used them at a pharmacy in Edenderry, Tullamore District Court was told.
Judge Andrew Cody heard how Lynn McCarthy (39), Pearse Lodge, Station Road, Newbridge, used false prescriptions on several occasions at Keane's Careplus Pharmacy between October 2025 and March 2026.
Ms McCarthy was not in court when the prosecution was presented by Sergeant Brendan Kearns who introduced his witness, Carol Devereux, pharmacist.
Ms Devereux said that on March 20 last she was preparing a prescription for a Charlotte Egan when she became suspicious that it was fraudulent because early dispensing was requested.
It was a monthly prescription and Ms Devereux said she did not know the Charlotte Egan who handed the prescription in to staff.
The pharmacist said she phoned the doctor and was told there was nobody of that name on the patient list.
She then phoned Edenderry Garda Station and reported it. No drugs were tendered to the person on that occasion but they had been four or five times previously.
Garda Damien Fleming, who was on duty on March 20, gave evidence of receiving the phone call from Ms Devereux and then going to the address of Charlotte Egan, 244 The Sycamores, Edenderry.
Garda Fleming discovered there was no such address and when he contacted the phone number associated with the prescription he spoke to a person who identified herself as Lynn McCarthy of Pearse Lodge, Station Road in Newbridge.
She admitted to the garda on the phone that she had made up the false prescription and subsequently he spoke to her at her home and she made full voluntary admissions.
Ms McCarthy said she went to an internet cafe and made the false prescription after looking up random GPs.
During the interview the woman admitted making up the name and address of Charlotte Egan and using false prescriptions on October 14, November 20, November 29 and December 29 in 2025, plus January 26, 2026 and February 24 last.
She said she acted alone and was really sorry for what she had done. She had been finding it hard to cope following a hysterectomy and going into early menopause.
John O'Dwyer, BL, told the court he had received short instructions from a solicitor in relation to Ms McCarthy's prosecution but no reason was given for her non-appearance in court other than her saying she was not in a position to be there.
Judge Cody convicted Ms McCarthy of forging and using prescriptions purporting to be from the Kildare Family Practice and issued a bench warrant for sentencing.
(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)