'I am a broken man' - victim of relationship fraud tells court after woman's €65,000 scam

“I am here a broken man – she drained every penny out of me,” the victim of an elaborate financial scam said, as the woman with whom he had been in a romantic relationship was jailed for two years.

40-year-old Laura Pennick told the victim when she met him that she had a senior management position with the HSE, that her name was Laura Kelly, that she had €3.8m tied up in an account that was temporarily frozen because of a probate issue, and that she had six brothers in An Garda Síochána. 

But Detective Garda Mark Durcan who investigated the case said these were lies.

Over the next three years the Dublin-based woman defrauded the Cork man of more than €65,000 by taking out loans in his name without his knowledge, borrowing money from him and making purchases on his cards for which he was left at a loss. Part of the fraud was facilitated by the fact that the victim worked for part of the year outside of Ireland.

Detective Garda Mark Hyde read the victim’s impact statement in court. “I met Laura Pennick in the summer of 2020. She told me her name was Laura Kelly. From the onset she made up lies about her identity, who she worked for, lies about a number of fictitious brothers working for An Garda Siochana. I believe she did this to gain my trust and take advantage of me from the very start. She told me she had an accountant and he would get me tax back, again to gain her trust. But she used this to obtain my documents to gain for herself.

“This girl played on my emotions. Laura Pennick sat at my father’s death bed with me. And in the background she was looking for loans from me and also had taken out loans in my name for thousands of euro from various institutions in my name.

“I gave Laura Pennick thousands of euro which was supposed to be repaid… but Laura Pennick took advantage of my good nature and took it all. She drained every penny out of me, totally shattered my confidence saying all her money was tied up in a joint account with a brother that never existed.

“Laura Pennick came into my life and turned it on its head. I am here today a broken man but I stand here hoping that Laura Pennick is sentenced accordingly for the pain and mental torture she has put me through. I am embarrassed that I was conned but it's not the first time she has done this, but I hope she will never ever do this to another person again. 

"Laura broke me mentally and I don't think I could ever trust a girl again.” 

Judge Sinéad Behan imposed a sentence of three years with the last year suspended, noting that the accused had previous convictions for similar crimes of defrauding others. 

She was recently sentenced to 18 months with the last six months suspended. However, Det Garda Durcan said that she only served six weeks of that one-year jail term.

The judge agreed to an application from defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell to prohibit publication of the defendant’s Dublin address, in light of online abuse and threats of violence made against her on social media arising out of previous cases of fraud.

In terms of the financial loss, some financial institutions that were made aware that the injured party was the victim of a deception have effectively stepped in to become the injured parties in the case. 

They are at a loss of €30,000. Out of his personal €35,000 loss, Ms O’Connell said Laura Pennick repaid €10,800 and was willing to repay more. 

However, prosecution barrister Katherine McGillicuddy and Judge Behan were both of the view that further compensation should not be ordered because of concerns for the provenance of further monies that might be paid.

Ms O’Connell said the defendant was in full-time employment and this was how she would repay further amounts.

The defence senior counsel said there were longstanding mental health issues in the background and that the accused had been admitted for residential treatment for several weeks on one occasion. 

The 40-year-old defendant and the 52-year-old injured party were both separated and have children from previous relationships.

Ms O’Connell, defence senior counsel, said of the defendant: “She has longstanding mental health difficulties. She is facing up to this repeated and compulsive pattern of behaviour… She came into a way of thinking of relationships as transactional. She is now receiving counselling. Her last instance of offending is March 2022.” 

During the sentencing hearing, Det Garda Durcan said the accused did not have the trappings of wealth and she engaged in reckless, compulsive behaviour, buying tickets, flights, holidays and vouchers. 

Ms O’Connell said that Ms Pennick also spent some money decorating the bathroom of the injured party when they were in a relationship.