Donegal man jailed over €34,000 social welfare fraud

A Donegal has been given a prison sentence after fraudulently claiming over €34,000 in Jobseeker’s Allowance.

James Mitchell was before Letterkenny District Court in connection with the matter.

Mitchell, a 42-year-old with an address at Finnside Close, Lifford, appeared via video link from Castlerea Prison, where he is serving a sentence.

Detective Garda Paul Lynch told the court that he attended a premises in Letterkenny in September 2021 at which Mitchell was said to reside. A for sale sign was erected in the garden and Detective Garda Lynch found that Mitchell had left the property, which was vacant since March, 2021.

The court heard that, during a period between March 2020 and September 2021, Mitchell received Jobseeker’s Allowance in excess of €34,000.

Enquiries with the Department of Social Security in Northern Ireland informed officers that Mitchell received over £22,600stg in Universal Credit.

“This wasn’t declared and he was totally in breach of the criteria for Jobseeker’s Allowance,” Detective Garda Lynch told the court.

Mitchell has 44 previous convictions, none of which relate to social welfare fraud, the court hard.

Mr Michael Shiel, solicitor for Mitchell, said his client was claiming the money for himself, his partner and his two children.

“He was residing in the State when he first claimed the Jobseeker’s Allowance,” Mr Shiel said. “During a course after that, he went to Strabane. He did not benefit from all of the monies - his partner and children also did. It was somewhat a joint venture so to speak.”

Mr Shiel said Mitchell was tendering a guilty plea, which saved the court considerable time and expense as witnesses from Northern Ireland would have been required in a contested case.

Mitchell is currently incarcerated at Castlerea Prison for road traffic offences and is due for release in August 2025. Mr Shiel said there was ‘no prospect’ of the money being repaid.

Judge Ciaran Liddy said Mitchell had claimed a ‘considerable sum of money’ from the taxpayer and has ‘extensive’ previous convictions.

Mitchell was sentenced to three months in prison.