A mother-of-one stole up to €395,000 from a credit union by taking out false loans on members’ accounts, a court has heard.

Susan Redmond (49) had worked at Larkhill and District Credit Union in Dublin for 20 years and began taking out the loans in 2003.

Redmond completed and signed loan applications and then issued cheques, which she cashed.

Detective Garda Dominic McGrath said Redmond’s colleagues noticed irregularities on accounts while she was on holiday, and this launched an extensive investigation.

Redmond, of Thornville Drive, Kilbarrack, Dublin, affirmed signed guilty pleas at Dublin Circuit Court to 10 sample charges of stealing from the credit union on dates from July 3, 2003 to April 26, 2013.

Det Gda McGrath said this sample represented 102 theft charges. He told Barry Ward BL, prosecuting, that the 40 account-holders affected by Redmond’s thefts were her friends and family, and that they were all reimbursed by the credit union.

The detective said investigators were able to see money moving in and out of Redmond’s bank account, but it was not clear what she was spending it on.

He said in some instances she was taking out more false loans to pay back previous false loans. The detective agreed with Justin McQuade BL, defending, that this was an “unsophisticated” fraud.

He further agreed Redmond had lost a job she took up after leaving the credit union because of publicity while the case was in the District Court.

Det Gda McGrath said “luck had a part to play”, as previous audits at the credit union had not been carried out on the accounts Redmond was using.

He said he did not believe any of the account-holders affected had been complicit.

He said investigators could not find any purchases such as a car or expensive jewellery in Redmond’s records.

Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case so that Redmond could be assessed by the Probation Service. She remanded Redmond on continuing bail until April.

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