Psychic guilty of €10k 'dead dad' scam

Home carer, 56, denied deception

- DECLAN BRENNAN

A HOME carer and so-called "psychic medium" has been convicted of deceiving a man of €10,000 by telling him his deceased father had told her he should give her the money.

Debbie Paget, 56, of Knowth Court, Ballymun, Dublin, was on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

She was charged with dishonestly inducing by deception James Byrne to give her €10,000. She was also charged with dishonestly inducing by deception Maria Byrne to give her €200. She had pleaded not guilty to both offences.

After deliberating for a little over four hours, the jury found Paget guilty, by a majority, of the first count and not guilty on the second.

Judge Pauline Codd remanded Paget on continuing bail to July 10 for a sentence hearing.

After thanking the jury for its service, she added: "It was an unusual case.