Probation Act for Laois woman involved in money mule operation
Portlaoise Courthouse
A LOCAL woman who was involved in a money mule operation was reported to be at low risk of reoffending when she appeared at Portlaoise District Court last week.
The assessment was made by the probation service after it carried out a report on the accused Edel Doyle (39), Pallas, Portlaoise.
She had previously pleaded guilty to the laundering of €3,268 at her address on 30 January last year.
At that sitting, evidence was provided that the funds were taken from a bank account and transferred to the defendant’s AIB bank account and that she acted as a money mule.
When she was arrested, she made full admissions and the injured party was reimbursed.
It was also said that Ms Doyle, who has no previous convictions, ‘made €500 for allowing her account to be used. The money was then taken from her bank account and sent on to a Revolut account.’ Defending solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said that his client had been chronically addicted to drugs at the time and had run up a bill with somebody. He said that she had been in a very vulnerable position at the time and had been taken advantage of.
When the case resumed last week, Mr Fitzgerald said the defendant was described by the probation service as being at a low risk of reoffending.
He said that Ms Doyle had engaged positively with the Restorative Justice Programme and had taken up voluntary work with St Vincent DePaul.
Mr Fitzgerald said: “She was a money mule and seems to have been exploited by another person. She’s at low risk of reoffending and a conviction would be problematic for her. She was vulnerable due to her drug use and had a medical condition at the time. There was no loss to the injured party. She is at the mercy of the court and asking it to show her some leniency.” Judge Andrew Gubbins said he noted that the defendant “has done so much to right your wrong. She doesn’t seem to be vulnerable in that way anymore and seems to be going in the right direction.” He went on to impose the Probation Act.
