A Letterkenny native who acted as a money mule has been given time to pay back almost €7,000.
Hannah Strain, who is now living in Galway, was before Letterkenny District Court, which heard that she allowed €12,500 of illegally obtained money to pass through her bank account.
She was charged that she did engage in handling property, namely €12,500, that was the proceeds of criminal conduct or being reckless as to whether or not) the property is the proceeds of criminal conduct. The charge is contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that Strain, who has no previous convictions, was fully compliant following her arrest in April, 2022 and admitted that she allowed her account to be used.
The court heard that Bank of Ireland is at a loss in respect of €6,844.
A sum of €7,500 was transferred from a business account and a further €5,000 was transferred from a personal account. Strain’s account was frozen and some of the funds were recovered, but €6,844 remains outstanding, the court was informed.
Strain was represented by solicitor Mr Frank Dorrian, who said his client is now a 30-year-old mother-of-one who is originally from Letterkenny.
Mr Dorrian told the court that Strain, who had a previous address at Ashlawn House, Ashlawn, Letterkenny, gave a “very long narrative” of what happened when questioned by gardai.
She said she was approached by someone at a party who asked for her bank details, telling her she could make some money.
Strain was a young student and had “very little money” at the time, Mr Dorrian said. He said Strain’s account was frozen and she lost “a couple of hundred euro” of her own money that was in the account at the time.
He said Strain never received any payment over the incident and was duped or deducted into participating.
“She didn’t profit and she wasn’t the author of the endeavour at all,” Mr Dorrian said. “She was approached and she was gullible – and there the matter ended.”
He said Strain is now living in Galway and sees her future there.
A probation report on Strain placed her at a medium risk of reoffending, which Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said was a concern.
Mr Dorrian said the court “ordeal” had been a “sufficiently salutary session” and told Judge Cunningham “to my mind there is no possible way this young lady will do anything other than go back to life with her partner and child”.
He said it was “just not realistic” that Strain would offend in the same manner again.
Judge Cunningham said she deemed these types of offences to be “very serious”.
While Mr Dorrian noted that Bank of Ireland was not at a loss at the hands of his client, Judge Cunningham said that such incidents need “cogs in a wheel”.
Judge Cunningham said: “I do have some sympathy to a degree and it seems that there may have been an element of naivety, however they are very serious offences.”
Mr Dorrian said that it was his belief that such offending has reduced among third level students as the “concept has been exposed” and the “general populous have realised that it isn’t viable”.
After considering the matter, Judge Cunningham said she would give Strain a chance to recompense the Bank of Ireland.
“She didn’t gain from it, but the offences are significant and she engaged in the process,” she said.
If that is done, Judge Cunningham said she would then consider applying the Probation of Offenders Act.
Mr Dorrian said a conviction under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act would be “very hard for her to carry around”.
He said his client had just finished maternity leave and it could “take a long time” for the sum to be repaid given her circumstances.
Judge Cunningham adjourned the case until January, 2026.
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