An “honourable” man has been given a suspended sentence for claiming more than €25,000 in social welfare payments while using the PPS number of a relative who had left Ireland to work.
Thomasz Pysz (46), of Little Pace Drive, Clonee in Dublin, also had an account containing more than €10,000 frozen and transferred to the Department of Social Protection.
Pysz pleaded guilty to four sample counts of theft from the department between 2019 and 2021. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday that some of the fraud related to Pandemic Unemployment Payments and some to Disability Allowance.
Garda Stephen Byrne told the court that a complaint was made to gardaí in September 2021 that the accused was using two PPS numbers, one to work and one to claim benefit.
The number with which he was claiming benefit was his and the number under which he was working was in the name of his brother-in-law, who left Ireland in 2016. He was also using his brother-in-law’s bank account for his wages.
The court heard that the accused had received €9,235.50 in Disability Allowance in this way. He had then received €16,303 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments.
Gardaí approached the owner of the building company for which Pysz was working at the time and showed him a photograph of the accused. The owner identified him as the man who had left Ireland. When shown a photograph of the other man, he did not recognise him.
Garda Byrne told the court that the defendant’s brother-in-law has not been charged with any offences and that there was no evidence to suggest he was involved in the fraud. However, the defendant said that he was aware that his bank account was being used by Pysz.
Garda Byrne agreed with Luigi Rea, defending, that a payment plan had been set up and Pysz had repaid an amount of the money. He said that there is an outstanding debt of €21,814.
Mr Rea said that Pysz, who is originally from Poland, has mental health issues and he handed in a letter from a doctor.
Counsel said that the theft had arisen out of pressures and difficulties at home and that his client’s marriage is now over.
He said that, but for this, he was an honourable man who did a dishonourable thing.
Judge Martin Nolan noted that the defendant had certain problems around the time and said he did not deserve to go to prison.
He imposed a sentence of 20 months but suspended it on condition that his bank account containing €10,917 be frozen and transferred to the department. The judge noted that he also has a separate payment agreement with the department.
