A court has heard that over a period of two years, a letting agent stole nearly €70,000 in tenant deposits from his employer to fund his gambling addiction.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday that Richard Power regularly logged into the system of his letting agent employer and changed the bank account details of tenants who had paid deposits at the start of their lease and were due to a refund.
The 35-year-old changed the tenant’s bank details to his bank account details, and once he received the refunded deposit, he changed the account details back before anyone noticed.
The amount Power stole came to €69,530, and he pleaded guilty to one count of stealing from his employer, on dates between June 2018 and June 2020. Also, he had no previous convictions.
The judge adjourned the matter to February 1st, handing down the sentence. The defendant’s lawyer said that Mr Power has suffered from mental health issues and will continue his rehabilitation, which is great news since only 3% of gambling addicts in the UK seek help. The court later said that it is very unlikely for Power to re-offend.