​Louth man collected over €20k of deceased relative’s social welfare payments

​A 27-year-old man who collected over €20,000 in social welfare payments to his dead granduncle over an 11 month period, was sentenced to perform 150 hours community service in lieu of a seven month sentence.

​Ryan Thornton with an address at St Laurence’s Park, Drogheda, had previously pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft at the post offices on West Street and Boyne Centre Post Office, Drogheda and a further count of false accounting within the State on April 22nd 2020.

The original hearing in October 2024 was told the defendant, who had paid back €1,900, was a carer for his mother’s uncle and had lived with him for a year before his death.

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The Defence barrister said his client had taken the passing badly and turned to drink and drugs.

He claimed that the defendant had initially collected the money ‘automatically without thinking’ and was then ‘too afraid’ to tell the Department of Social Protection.

The court was told Mr. Thornton was repaying €50 per-week on average and that he no longer drinks or takes drugs.

Then sitting judge, Eirinn McKiernan, who said the court was ‘not at all impressed’ and the offending was ‘despicable’, put back the case for the preparation of a probation report.

In finalising the case last Wednesday, Judge Nicola Jane Andrews was told the total sum amounted to €24,540.

The defendant stressed that a repayment arrangement was in place saying "I'm paying back every week so I am".

After imposing the community service sentence Judge Andrews warned him that if he fails to comply with his obligations and the case is re-entered by the Probation Service "I will put you in prison and I won't listen to any excuses".