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Gran (74) at centre of multiple bogus compo cases faces jail after pleading guilty to fraud

Lawrence was the target of a major Garda operation several years ago

Today at 08:01

A mum-of-16 who was at the centre of multiple bogus compo cases over several years is facing jail after pleading guilty to fraud.

Winnie Lawrence (74), from Moorfield Grove in Clondalkin, was targeted in a major investigation by the Garda Economic Crime Bureau into lucrative claims fraud.

Lawrence made numerous bogus insurance claims in her own name and in fake names.

She was arrested two years ago and charged with 18 offences under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act and dishonestly providing information under the Civil Liabilities and Courts Act.

One charge alleges she dishonestly induced Liberty Insurance to compensate her in a personal injuries claim in the name of another, to a value of €12,460, on September 11, 2012.

Another charge on the same date states that she dishonestly gave instructions or information about a personal injuries action to a named lawyer.

Her legal team said she was also too sick to attend on Wednesday but she eventually turned up on Thursday and changed her plea to guilty to three charges of making gain causing loss by deception. She was remanded on continuing bail ahead of sentencing on May 16.

Lawrence was the target of the major Garda operation several years ago.

She had used various solicitors over the years while taking claims. One of these, Thomas Quigley, of Thomas Quigley Solicitors, Ballyfermot Road, Dublin was also arrested as part of the operation.

Quigley was charged with 10 offences between 2012 and 2014: six for deception and four counts under money-laundering laws.

It was alleged that on February 14, 2014, he induced a person at CIE to compensate Lawrence for a personal injury, claimed under a false identity.

He was also accused of deception on March 20, 2014, for inducing another at IPB Insurance to compensate Lawrence.

Gardaí also charged Mr Quigley with inducing IPB Insurance to compensate Lawrence, under another name, on May 11, 2014.

Another deception charge states that on September 11, 2012, he allegedly induced Liberty Insurance to compensate Lawrence with €12,460.

On October 18, 2013, it was alleged he took receipt of €11,014 after a deception of AIG Europe. The final charge alleges that from September 2012 to May 2014, he did not check a customer’s identity.

However, it is understood that Mr Quigley is currently in poor health and the case against him was “adjourned generally” last year as a result. This means the case is not currently proceeding but may potentially be re-entered at a future date.

Gardaí also arrested another solicitor in Cork as part of the investigation but he was later released without charge.

The investigation into Lawrence was sparked several years ago after an investigator with IPB Insurance, who had dealt with cases involving Lawrence, found a link between her and a false identity she was using for another claim.This led to the major Garda investigation into Lawrence’s activities.

In May 2019 Lawrence was convicted for a separate bogus personal injury claim which she took under another false name.

She claimed she had slipped on a cabbage leaf in an Iceland supermarket and sued under a bogus name. She was given a three-year suspended sentence for the fraud which left RSA insurance at a loss of €14,143.37 which related to the company’s legal costs to defend the case.