Midleton-based man who used false passports to get pandemic payments to be sentenced next month

A MAN who confessed to possessing false documents in the course of an investigation into a pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) fraud will be sentenced on May 19.

The 35-year-old arraigned was on four charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to four fraud offences. The prosecution was brought arising out an investigation into false claims of PUP from the Department of Social Protection.

Oluwagbewikeke Lewis of Brookdale, Midleton, County Cork, confirmed a signed plea of guilty to the four charges when he appeared before Judge Sean O Donnabhain.

The charges refer to possessing a false passport in the name of another man from Ballyvodock, Midleton, on November 6, 2020, knowing it to be a false instrument or document.

Lewis also pleaded guilty to a second charge of possessing a false passport in the name of another man in the same area on November 6 2020, also knowing it to be a false document.

He pleaded guilty to two other charges of possessing false Permanent TSB statements in the name of two other men. All four charges to which Lewis pleaded guilty were contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud offences Act) 2001.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain noted the guilty pleas to all four charges and he remanded Lewis on continuing bail to appear again at Cork Circuit Criminal Court again on May 19 for sentence.