A man posed as the father of a baby born to a foreign woman in his birth certificate and passport applications

A 64-year-old man posed as the father of a baby born to a foreign woman in Cork in successful applications for a birth certificate and passport for the baby which had the domino effect of allowing the baby’s mother to bring others members of his family to live in Ireland.

As the man faced sentencing at Cork District Court today, barrister William Bulman emphasized that the defendant was a vulnerable man who acted with empathy towards the mother and child and did not benefit financially or otherwise from his actions. .

Detective Garda Mark Henebry of the Garda National Immigration Bureau, who investigated the case, accepted the proposition that the 64-year-old Cork man did not personally benefit from presenting himself as the biological father of the girl with in order to obtain an Irish birth certificate and an Irish passport.

Bulman said the defendant cooperated fully with the investigation into the deception dating back more than 14 years, and pleaded guilty to three counts of deception: one in relation to the birth certificate application, a second for the passport application and a third requesting its renewal three years later.

Judge Mary Dorgan gave him an eight-month suspended sentence on condition that he comply with the probation service’s instructions for 18 months and also fined him €500.

An order was previously issued preventing the identification of parties and details of the case that would identify the child.

Judge Dorgan said:

“This is a very difficult and very serious situation. This gentleman introduced himself as the girl’s father and made it easier for her to obtain the passport. The knock-on effect was quite extraordinary and, as a result, allowed her (the boy’s mother) to bring other members of her family to the country.

“I found his presentation to the court to be honest and direct. I appreciate that this gentleman has lived his life to this point without a conviction.”

Background

Detective Gda Henebry described the background that attests that the child was born at the end of 2008 to two foreign parents from the same country who came to study in Ireland shortly before the birth. When the child was born, no entry was made in the hospital record to identify the father.

The accused was not the father, but on 29 July 2009 he went to the Adelaide Street Registry Office in Cork to register the birth of the child.

“He made statements that he was the biological father knowing that he could not be the father. He provided false information to the Civil Registry office.

“On 29 July 2009 – later that day – he attended the garda station (his premises), having obtained the Irish birth certificate, to make a false application for a passport for this child.

“An Irish passport was later issued to this child who was not entitled to an Irish passport or Irish citizenship.

“The third charge relates to June 30, 2012 – almost three years later – in a subsequent application for (renewal of) a passport for this child, in contravention of the Passports Act 2008.”

Bulman said the defendant understood that if the woman returned to her own country with the child she would not be allowed to return to Ireland. Furthermore, she was given to understand that the child would be separated from her mother and that she would be sent to prison in her own country. On this basis he presented himself as the father of the child. He was thinking about the child and had no relationship with the mother, sexual or otherwise, the defense stated.