A 49-YEAR-OLD woman who presented 18 cheques that subsequently bounced to a number of businesses in Fermanagh in a fraud totalling over £4,000 has avoided going to jail after a judge took into account her “personal difficulties”.

Elizabeth Clifford, of Carrowshee Park, Lisnaskea, was charged with 19 counts of fraud by false representation and a further single count of attempted fraud by false representation.

Clifford entered guilty pleas to all the charges at an earlier appearance before Fermanagh Magistrates Court, and the case was adjourned to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

At her sentencing hearing yesterday (Wednesday) morning, the court heard that the case involved a total of 18 bounced cheques, to the value of £4,346, that were handed over to four different businesses on dates between March 1 to November 1, 2014.

The businesses involved were the Spar shop in Newtownbutler, the Day-to-Day store in Rosslea, Goan Meats in Lisnaskea and Frazer’s filling station.

A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative told the court that the offences came to light after John Ingram, of the Spar shop in Newtownbutler, contacted the police on September 30, 2014 and informed them that two cheques handed over to him by the defendant had subsequently bounced.

Officers then interviewed Clifford on October 17. She agreed to give police authorisation to view her bank details.

Several weeks later, police spoke to the manager of the Halifax bank where the defendant had her account. They seized a 24-page bank statement outlining details of her transactions.

After examining the statement, officers made enquiries with other individuals whom they suspected had been victims of fraud.

Police subsequently seized more cheques that had bounced from the Day-to-Day store in Rosslea, Goan Meats in Lisnaskea and Frazer’s filling station.

Clifford was later interviewed by police once more. On this occasion, she told officers that she was going to “try and work the matter out”.

She added that she was going to attend the Citizens Advice Bureau with the intention of paying the money back.

Defending counsel, Stephen Fitzpatrick, told the court that his client was “very aware” that the matter was being taken very seriously.

After the barrister started to refer to the defendant’s “financial difficulties”, district judge Nigel Broderick observed the “crux” of the matter was that Clifford had handed over the cheques when there was no money in her account.

Asking if the defendant had any assets, the judge told the court that the various shopkeepers were out of money.
Mr Fitzpatrick confirmed that Clifford had no assets and added that she was currently engaging with local support services.

The barrister urged the judge to suspend any custodial sentence given the way she met the case and also that she had nothing pending against her.

In passing sentence, the judge observed that it had not just been a “one-off” offence, but a series of transactions.

Mr Broderick said the shops had taken the cheques in “good faith” and expected them to be honoured, but added that there had been “no prospect” of that happening.

While describing the number of cheques involved as “not insignificant”, the judge took into account Clifford’s “troubled background” and said there were issues that may have affected her judgement.

Mr Broderick said that, given her personal difficulties, he would not impose an immediate custodial sentence, but would leave something hanging over her head.

In respect of all 20 offences, he sentenced the defendant to five months in prison, which he then suspended for two years.

Declining to impose a compensation order, the judge said Clifford had no assets she could realise and he could see no reasonable prospect that she could pay in a reasonable time.