A
Nigerian yahoo-yahoo scammer has left a whiteman identified as Stephen
Wallace devastated after duping him of his life savings.
Stephen Wallace
A lonely bachelor who gave away his life savings to a heartless
Nigerian fraudster has promised to be of good conduct after he had
attacked the bank after learning that he was scammed.
The IrishMirror reported that the victim identified as Stephen
Wallace gave away a fortune to Nigerian scam artists who promised to
send him the love of his life, a court heard.
But when Stephen Wallace’s bank put a stay on his account after
noticing the transactions, he marched in with a kitchen knife, a hammer
and a baton.
Wallace, from Market Street in Clifden, Galway, pleaded guilty to
producing a weapon in a manner likely to intimidate another person or
inflict serious injury at the Bank of Ireland in Clifden on December 20
last.
He also pleaded guilty to obstruction and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at Clifden Garda Station on January 19.
Garda Alan Murphy told Clifden District Court he was called to the bank where he found Wallace, 42, in a very agitated state.
He was brandishing a large kitchen knife, a small hammer and a wooden baton and was arrested and taken to a psychiatric unit.
When he was released from hospital a month later, he called into
Clifden Garda Station and was again very agitated and abusive, Garda
Murphy recalled.
“He started lashing out, he was kicking and punching. He had to be arrested for his own safety,” Garda Murphy stated.
After reading his file from the psychiatric unit, Judge Mary Fahy
asked if the Gardaí had investigated the large amount of money that had
left his bank account.
Garda Murphy said Wallace had been willingly sending the money - but the court was not told how much he had handed over.
Defence solicitor, JJ Mannion, said his client had an IQ of 65,
whereas the average in Ireland is 100. “He’s believed to be on the
autistic spectrum,” he told the court.
When the Bank of Ireland became aware through family that Wallace
was the victim of a scam, they put a stay on his account which was the
reason for his frustration at the branch.
Judge Fahy said the case was “so sad and just unbelievable” and it
was something that could continue for the rest of the defendant’s life.
“You’re looking at a huge amount of money [that] he handed over to somebody in Nigeria.”
Garda Murphy said the defendant “truly believed somebody would come
over” after he had sent the money but it was nothing but a scam.
Judge Fahy spoke directly to Wallace: “I’m telling you now that
person is not going to come and you’re going to stop putting money into
that account. Would you agree to do that?”
“I will yes,” he replied.
Judge Fahy urged him to only pay his bills and stop putting money into anybody else’s accounts.
She reiterated that if he did what she was asking, the court would
be able to help him. She adjourned the case until September 28.
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