Following the guilty pleas, defence counsel Joel Lindsay asked Judge McColgan to adjourn the plea and sentence to allow time for the Probation Board to compile a pre-sentence report.

Granting that application and freeing McGeough on bail, Judge McColgan said she would deal with the case on February 6.

NI civil servant admits helping benefit fraudsters receive Universal Credit

Today at 13:50

A civil-servant-turned-fraudster today admitted abusing his position within the Department for Communities to “defraud the public purse”.

Standing in the dock of Craigavon Crown Court, Philip McGeough (40) entered guilty pleas to two of the three charges against him: one of fraud by abuse of position and one of acquiring criminal property between March 27 and May 26, 2020.