A DISTRICT court judge told a student who allowed his Revolut account to be used for a fraudulent scam that he must have known it was for criminal activity.

Judge Joanne Carroll made the comment while dealing with the case of Emmanuel Okoye (22) at Bandon District Court.

Mr Okoye, of 53 River Village, Monksland, Athlone, County Westmeath pleaded guilty to deception on March 26th 2024.

The court heard that the injured party, from Cork, reported to gardaí that she was the victim of an online fraud.

‘She had clicked on a link that she assumed was from An Post and was then contacted by someone purporting to be from the PTSB Bank and €4,600 was taken from her bank account in two transactions of €2,300 each,’ said Sgt Tom Mulcahy.

The bank refunded the woman in full so she was not at a loss. An investigation showed the money went through a Revolut account which belonged to the accused.

In a garda interview Mr Okoye admitted that his Revolut account details were shared with a third party who wanted to use it.

‘He told gardaí that he wasn’t aware who used his account and he didn’t make gain from it,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

The court heard the he has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Myra Dinneen said her client is a third level student who funds his own studies and works part-time.

‘He was approached by someone in his college who asked him if he was stuck for money and asked him to allow his Revolut account be made available to him. He was told not to look at it for a few days and that he would receive €1,000 for facilitating it,’ said Ms Dinneen.

She said he had no idea how much was involved and that he will have to pay back the €4,600 to the bank. ‘He got nothing and he was the fool and he didn’t get €1,000.’

Judge Carroll said it was a very serious offence and that the accused is intelligent and had to have known it was for the purpose of criminality when someone asked him for the use of his Revolut account.

‘There is a right and a wrong and he knew when he was being approached that it was for criminal activity,’ said Judge Carroll.

‘At very best he aided and abetted others to defraud one individual and maybe countless others out of huge sums of money, money they needed to pay bills and other expenses.’

Ms Dinneen said he committed the offence out of desperation but Judge Carroll queried this when told he drove down from Galway to court in his own car.

‘Where is the hardship? He is going to college and working in Boston Scientific. Lots of people don’t resort to aiding and abetting criminality,’ said Judge Carroll.

The judge said he only pleaded guilty because he was caught ‘red handed’. She also noted that he had a year to put things right but didn’t until the gardaí questioned him.

Mr Okoye admitted it was a ‘very stupid mistake’ and out of character for him.

Describing it as a ‘shocking offence’ Judge Carroll requested the preparation of a probation report and adjourned the case to March 5th.