Disability claimant 'blew ?28,000 on holiday'
A FORMER criminal tried to claim a disability allowance despite going on five foreign holidays in the last two-and-a-half years and "blowing" ?118,000 since July 2004. Limerick District Court heard yesterday that father of five Anthony Kelly (45), from O'Malley Park, Southill, Limerick, purchased a ?25,000 camper van in the same period and sold it at half the price six months later.
Mr Kelly had taken legal action to overturn the Department of Social Welfare's rejection of his application for disability.
He claimed in court that his solicitor, Mr John Devane, had paid for his most recent foreign holiday in Lanzarote last week.
However, a tanned Mr Kelly said from the witness box at Limerick Circuit Court: "If I don't get disability, I cannot live."
The day-long hearing heard the defendant had spent ?28,000 on one holiday alone. He withdrew the money on the date of departure in July 2004. He claimed he paid for 19 family members to go on the holiday so that they could all mourn the death of his brother. The case will resume on May 16.Shortly after returning from the holiday, Mr Kelly withdrew ?90,000 that remained in his account after the holiday and kept it at his mother's house but the money is now completely spent.
However, Mr Kelly categorically denied at the hearing that he purchased a house in Spain or anywhere else and that he has absolutely no source of income at present.
The Court heard that Mr Kelly's physical disability itself is not in dispute as he had one of his knee caps shot off, has four bullet wounds and suffered broken bones.
