Charity employee stole €10,000 from his work place in Laois

An employee of a charity admitted stealing €10,000 and handing the stolen cash into a garda station a number of days later.

Darren Broughan (47) of 32 Colliers Wood, Portlaoise, pleaded guilty to burgling the Sue Ryder Foundation in Kilminchy, Portlaoise, on September 27, 2026.

Solicitor Brian Duffy told a sitting of Portlaoise District Court that his client was pleading guilty to the offence.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said Judge MacSharry had already accepted jurisdiction in the case.

He explained that Gardaí had received a report from the Sue Ryder Foundation to say the property had been burgled and the safe was accessed and around €10,000 was taken.

Sgt Kirby said the defendant then presented himself at a garda station with €9,305 in cash which “he stated he stole during the course of the burglary at Sue Ryder.” The man explained he had “used his knowledge as an employee” to carry out the crime.

“There is a victim impact statement from a senior house manager,” said Sgt Kirby.

Mr Duffy highlighted the “unusual circumstances where he presented himself to the garda station and returned the money.”

He requested some time to work on mitigation in the “highly unusual” case and he produced a letter from his client’s GP. Mr Duffy said the incident was “completely out of character” for his client and he referred to an unspecified “incident” which had occurred 14 years earlier. He requested more time and said he would be intending to provide more documentation at a later date.

“It is an unusual set of facts,” Judge Andrew Gubbins agreed.

He requested a probation report and asked why if €10,000 had been stolen only just over €9,000 was returned.

Mr Duffy said that this was a matter which is “somewhat disputed” at present.

Judge Gubbins adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on March 8 for a probation report and he asked that if the sum of stolen money taken was found to be €10,000 that the balance also be in court.