Social welfare fraud case deferred

A case involving alleged social welfare fraud could not go ahead at Navan District Court on Friday because of the solicitors’ dispute with the Department of Justice.

Keith Stapleton of Blackwater Close, Enfield had been prosecuted for a number of social welfare frauds in 2023. He had claimed unemployment Jobseeker’s Allowance at a time when he was working. At an earlier hearing of the Navan court he had failed to appear but was present on Friday for his case to be processed. However, a solicitor told the court that he was unable to offer representation to the man.

Prosecuting solicitor Liam Keane had told the earlier hearing that in one of the cases against defendant a total of €5,280 was outstanding but there was also an amount of €9,000-odd relating to a previous case.

On 19th September 2025 the defendant had been convicted in his absence. After reading a probation report Judge Eirinn McKiernan asked if the defendant was paying back any of the money. Mr Keane said that there was an amount of €14,376 outstanding in total.

The judge said that she could not deal with the case because of the absence of legal representation and she put the case back to 24th July.

Separately, a 25-year-old man charged concerning the publishing of intimate images was adjourned at Trim District Court.

Judge Eirinn McKiernan remanded the accused on bail to the sitting on 28th July for the preparation and service of a book of evidence.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the case proceed by trial on indictment which usually involves it being transferred to the circuit court.