Dozens of new charges against alleged fraudster Samantha Cookes accuse her of stealing sums amounting to tens of thousands of euro from the State in monthly supplementary welfare and disability allowances over a four-year period.
Ms Cookes, who appeared in person at Tralee District Court, dressed in pink and black, was charged with 53 additional thefts and two charges of deception on Wednesday.
The new charges were by way of schedule, the court heard.
She has been in custody since her arrest in Tralee in July on “two sample charges”. The DPP has directed trial on indictment on all charges.
Samantha Cookes was arrested outside the post office on Edward Street, Tralee, in early July when she was due to collect a weekly disability allowance worth €232. She goes by a number of names, the court heard in July.
Ms Cookes is charged that on July 12, 2024, at An Post, Edward Street, Tralee, she stole €232 in disability allowance payment issued on June 12 to Samantha Jade Cookes, and on the same date she stole the same sum issued on June 5 to the same name.
The new charges, by Garda Raphael Liston of Anglesea Street Garda Station, Cork, involve two counts of deception contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
These are that between September 3, 2021, and July 1, 2024, at the Disability Allowance Section, Department of Social Protection, Godfrey Place, Tralee, Samantha Cookes dishonestly and by deception, induced the Department of Social Protection to make payments in respect of a disability allowance to the amount of €40,264.
A second charge is that on dates between February 20, 2020 and October 6, 2021, she induced payments to the amount of €17,747.
Fifty three new charges relate to Section 4 theft, also under the Criminal Justice Act.
Twenty of these charges relate to alleged theft of monthly payments of supplementary welfare allowance payment each of €201 on dates between March 5, 2020, and October 6, 2021.
Thirty three of the 53 new theft charges relate to monthly disability allowance payments of €289.50 between November 3, 2021, and July 3, 2024.
Sergeant Chris Manton said the DPP recommended trial on indictment on the new charges and the State was seeking to remand her in continuing custody to October 9 for the book of evidence.
Ms Cookes’ solicitor Brendan Ahern said he had no objection to the application.
Judge David Waters remanded her in continuing custody to appear on Wednesday next week, October 9, for service of the book of evidence.
