Woman jailed over identity fraud
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Woman jailed over identity fraud
Guest Tue 23 Mar - 10:13
Monday, 22 March 2010
A woman who used multiple identities, stole thousands of euro from her fiance and then tried to convince him she was dead, has been jailed for three years at Donegal Town circuit court.
The woman pleaded guilty using the name Diane Connolly.
However, gardaí say they cannot state conclusively who the woman actually is.
Diane Connolly, also known as Diane MacDonald, also known as Shannon Allen had also used several other names as well.
She says she was born in Scotland and moved to Donegal some years ago.
In 2008 she met and soon became engaged to Danny Walsh in Dungloe - in November she told him her father was missing presumed dead after a plane crash in Canada.
In December she then said she had found a lump and was going to Scotland for tests.
She left suddenly and then texted Mr Walsh that her father's remains had been found and she had to go to Canada.
Then a woman calling herself Muriel Wilmer, who said she was Diane's step-sister called the local parish priest to pass on a message to Mr Walsh that Diane had died in Canada.
Thereafter he was bombarded with texts from Miss Wilmer, Kate McKenzie, Mary Murray, Seamus Boyle and Seamus Daly - all purporting to be Ms Connolly's friends or relatives but all in fact were Ms Connolly working to convince Mr Walsh that she was dead.
He meantime discovered that €2,000 was missing from his house and about €26,000 had been cleaned out of his bank accounts and he went to the gardai.
Ms Connolly was not dead at all but very much alive and working in Glendalough using the name Shannon Allen.
She was captured on CCTV at ATM's withdrawing money from Mr Walshs accounts. She had also forged cheques and got a credit card in his name.
Detective Gallagher circulated her fingerprints - interpol said they matched six separate identities, Gardai in Kerry and Cork also matched them and last year she was jailed for similar theft and fraud offences there.
Judge John O'Hagan said she was a 'confidence trickster' who hoodwinked Mr Walsh up to his ears and he jailed her for three years.
A woman who used multiple identities, stole thousands of euro from her fiance and then tried to convince him she was dead, has been jailed for three years at Donegal Town circuit court.
The woman pleaded guilty using the name Diane Connolly.
However, gardaí say they cannot state conclusively who the woman actually is.
Diane Connolly, also known as Diane MacDonald, also known as Shannon Allen had also used several other names as well.
She says she was born in Scotland and moved to Donegal some years ago.
In 2008 she met and soon became engaged to Danny Walsh in Dungloe - in November she told him her father was missing presumed dead after a plane crash in Canada.
In December she then said she had found a lump and was going to Scotland for tests.
She left suddenly and then texted Mr Walsh that her father's remains had been found and she had to go to Canada.
Then a woman calling herself Muriel Wilmer, who said she was Diane's step-sister called the local parish priest to pass on a message to Mr Walsh that Diane had died in Canada.
Thereafter he was bombarded with texts from Miss Wilmer, Kate McKenzie, Mary Murray, Seamus Boyle and Seamus Daly - all purporting to be Ms Connolly's friends or relatives but all in fact were Ms Connolly working to convince Mr Walsh that she was dead.
He meantime discovered that €2,000 was missing from his house and about €26,000 had been cleaned out of his bank accounts and he went to the gardai.
Ms Connolly was not dead at all but very much alive and working in Glendalough using the name Shannon Allen.
She was captured on CCTV at ATM's withdrawing money from Mr Walshs accounts. She had also forged cheques and got a credit card in his name.
Detective Gallagher circulated her fingerprints - interpol said they matched six separate identities, Gardai in Kerry and Cork also matched them and last year she was jailed for similar theft and fraud offences there.
Judge John O'Hagan said she was a 'confidence trickster' who hoodwinked Mr Walsh up to his ears and he jailed her for three years.
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