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Carer loses HSE work after being caught on CCTV stealing from OAP (87) in his home
Sergeeevich had been a regular visitor to the elderly man's home, calling on a twice daily basis where he assisted with general house work and maintenance chores.
Mikhail Sergeevich was dismissed from his job as a carer when his offending came to light, a court was told.
This is the former full time carer who was sacked from his job when he was caught red-handed on CCTV stealing from his 87-year-old victim while in his own home.
Thirty-year-old Mikhail Sergeevich had been employed with a private homecare company under the auspices of the HSE at the time an internal camera which had been installed in the old age pensioner's bedroom captured him pocketing €100 from the old age pensioner's wallet at Currygrane, Ballinalee, Co Longford.
Sergeevich, of Derawley, Drumlish, Longford pleaded guilty to theft at a sitting of Longford District Court following the incident on October 8, 2024.
Sgt Mark Mahon said Sergeeevich had been a regular visitor to the elderly man's home, calling on a twice daily basis where he assisted with general house work and maintenance chores.
Mikhail Sergeevich on the steps of Longford Courthouse.
The court was told how the alarm was raised just four days after a medicam was installed in the man's bedroom on foot of concerns from a relative that Sergeevich's client had become a fall risk.
Judge Bernadette Owens was told when the elderly man's son checked the camera to determine whether it was working correctly Sergeevich was spotted reaching into the man's trousers which had been hanging on the back of a chair.
Mikhail Sergeevich outside Longford Courthouse.
News in 90 Seconds - 15th June 2025
The footage, Sgt Mahon said, went on to show the accused taking €100 in cash from the man's wallet and placing it in his own pocket moments before placing it back in the man's trousers and leaving the room moments later.
Gardaí subsequently arrested Sergeevich and interviewed him over the contents of the camera footage at Granard Garda Station.
During the course of that exchange, Sgt Mahon said the accused was fully cooperative and made 'full admissions' where he apologised over his role in the theft.
In an attempt to illustrate that remorse, the court was told Sergeevich returned the stolen monies to his victim some two weeks later.
Despite that measure, Sgt Mahon said Sergeevich was fired from his job when his employer learned of the details surrounding the incident.
Defence solicitor Michelle Reynolds said her client was someone who had spent almost all of his adult life in Ireland where his involvement in both full time education and the wider labour force had remained constant since turning 18.
Ms Reynolds said the latter was borne out by an over decade long association with an industry Sergeevich was forced to forego when his employment was terminated as a consequence of the incident.
Mikhail Sergeevich was dismissed from his job as a carer when his offending came to light, a court was told.
Now employed in a local factory, Ms Reynolds said Sergeevich had come to court with €400 in the hope his previous good character, lack of any previous convictions and cooperation with the ensuing garda investigation might convince the court to hold its hand in recording a criminal conviction against him.
Judge Owens put the case back for consideration over lunch before returning to the issue of sentencing in the afternoon where she asked Sgt Mahon if the episode was a single, one-time encounter.
Sgt Mahon replied, saying the State's evidence revolved that of a 'once off' incident, in a statement Ms Reynolds said was given further weight by the solitary offence her client was charged with, the prosecution's evidence concerning the stand-alone case that was before the court and the fact gardaí had investigated one incident.
Following a brief pause, Judge Owens directed a probation report be carried out on Sergeevich and remanded him on bail to a sitting of Longford District Court on November 4 for the purposes of sentencing.
