I’m sure he saved a lot more money by not paying an tax here anyway.

Definition of irony- the Van that drove her away had U2 as its serial number on the side of it ! Fact !

Well said.

David, you’ve given the best comment of the day!

Thanks Brian, I feel some people who comment on this website are missing logic, a sense of reality and most importantly the ability to be positive about anything. It does give me a laugh.

Oops, sorry ‘Declan’

@ Declan

Why am I not surprised you think that!?!

Good point but why wasn’t a precedent set after the case of a welfare fraudster getting 12 and a half year for stealing 248k ?
Lack of consistency is the problem.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0722/1224301126078.html

Good point, assume so.

I am sure that is not all the matters to her kids, she shouldn’t go to Prison at all, she has been named and shamed and Clayton is any less a millionaire.

who cares what matters to her kids, i am talking about in the eyes of the law she is more than guilty,explain to me why someone who stole 3million does not deserve jail again??

Yes Mick, he has 2.8 million less, so he is less of a millionaire.

Are you saying that having kids should be a shield against the law? How many fathers are in mountjoy?

I hope she appeals and gets probation unless she is a physical danger to People she shouldn’t get any jail time, Isn’t Clayton a tax exile anyway, and as regards the ”law” I couldn’t give a toss about it, it is merely legislation enacted by a corrupt elite to protect the corrupt elite.

the ”law” is there to protect people from getting 2.8million STOLEN from them!! i would love your suggestions on how else to punish thieves? maybe a slap on the wrist and a pat on the back for stealing is it? If your house gets broken into, would you call the Guards or simply say fair play, as long as they are not a danger to anyone. You sir are an idiot!!

You want the government to tell the judges what to do?

Nothing wrong with minimum or mandatory sentancing or guidelines

might the problem there though the manslaughter sentence is too lenient?

Indeed, but currently, stealing money and stealing a life deemed equal in the eyes of the law.

The moderators deleted my comment on this, so I’ll reply in a more conforming fashion. I thoroughly agree, there are plenty of examples where a loss of life has had a leaner sentence than a loss of money.

Very harsh cos pleaded not guilty…if she had own up it will be a lighter sentence….but she wanted to play the lil poor woman card..and it back fired big time…

If the U2 Cult hadn’t been involved, she would have probably got 3 – 4 years.

T’is hard to believe that the Manager and the other U2 band members didn’t know that she was living the high life at his expense for years, owning all the horses etc ? Why didn’t they bother telling him ?

Seanie, Fingers and the NAMA wives are still untouchable ?

@mensah Good point.

She will be released in 5 years 3months. You only serve 3/4 of a sentence plus if she behaves she will be out a bit earlier

Well said Terry

Which Bankers?

All those bankers in the headlines over the last few years. Start with the Anglo lot at the top.

Is the 5000 twitting on their shoulder so you take it off them ….just to ease the load?

And you have judicial training and experience?

Mark ,I Probably have as much as all the other politically appointed Judges who learn the job as they go along hence such wide and diverse differences in sentencing .

What judicial training are you talking about Mark?

Jerry I couldn’t agree more 7yrs for a mother of 2 children what is our justice system coming to??? to all the people who think she deserves it you guys are heartless feckers and please spare me the lecture on ”stealing is wrong” taking a mother away from her children is wrong too Adam Clayton seriously needs a REALITY CHECK!!!!!!!!

Average cost I think was about 80-90k per year multiply by 4.5 years or so. Nearly 400k.
Greed yes, needs punishment, yes but 7 years is a bit steep.

Muriel how exactly do you believe that Adam Clayton used his money or wealth to ensure that this revolting creature who thieved on a grand scale got seven years. Are you suggesting that the judge was bribed because this is what you implied the sentence was his decision. A correction to your posting would be wise to avoid an angry person finding you in contempt.

You cant be found in contempt when a court case is finished,in which case it is!

Now how exactly is she going to pay back 2.8 million?

She’s going to be in jail for quite a while, and after she gets out, who is going to employ her? Even if she does get a job, she’ll be too busy trying to get herself and her kids sorted out.

And as regards him not noticing the money for a long time, she’s hardly going tomake it obvious that she was stealing. She was in a trusted position which she abused, and not only did he find out after she told him she CONTINUED TO STEAL FROM HIM.

I can’t believe people think this is lenient. We are talking €2.8 million here, not a couple of bob here and there from petty cash. If €2.8 million was taken in post office raid or something and the people were caught I can’t see people crying leniency!

To say is a victimless crime is ridiculous. Theft can’t be judged with reference to the means of those stolen from. If you steal millions by definition it’s not going to be from someone poor. So how should thefts be judged – should the sentence get shorter the more money is stolen and therefore the richer the victim, or does it depend on how much you like the victim or how talented you think they are?

Boiled down to basics she stole almost €500 every single day for 16 years – think about that. It’s not trivial.

Ohh, not a popular one James :)

Lol i wouldn’t consider it stealing when people went out and bought it knowing what the music was like in the first place.

Haha, the U2 fans are out there.

Adam Clayton can afford to lose that money, sure he got it easy anyways for singing a few songs. Now if she robbed the money of a charity that would be different and I think Gerard will call me a troll for giving my comment.

Yes, indeed. Adam Clayton made some serious easy cash with that golden voice of his…

He actually a fairly shyte bass player! Jammy b@stard and chancer! lol

Yeah that’ll teach him to trust people and expect them to be honest and do their job.

I didn’t mean to press the red thumb, damn iPhone!

Quit red thumbing me,I just meant I didn’t mean to red or green thumb. I have no opinion on his comment. She’s a thief,but too harsh a sentence. Stealing from someone with that kind of money and popularity will always be worse than stealing from someone with shag all to their name in the eyes of the law

And if she should have thought about her kids BEFORE she started stealing off him.

Is the rape of a Man by a Woman even a crime in Ireland?

Mick, no. It’s legally impossible

Two definitions of rape in law http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1981/en/act/pub/0010/sec0002.html#sec2 &
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1990/en/act/pub/0032/sec0004.html#sec4

Even when it’s her own child it’s “sexual abuse” http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0122/roscommon.html

The Quinn family commit fraud to the value of 500million and no jail time?????……well its obvious our justice system protects the elite of this country punish the vulnerable and make an example out of Mothers with 2 kids our justice system needs a deserved kick in the bollix!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop trolling eilish

Stop being a bully Gerard.

Hey Richard, tell us again about the imaginary pub you work in? I believe it’s called the sTROLL inn?

My dear, you should be clapped in irons for that grammar.

Yeah. Why does someone who plays bass in a rock band for a living need a personal assistant anyway?

Eilish he gave her access to money to maintain his house, not to spend half a million on horses and flying around the world. regardless of his innocence in not watching his money, she’s a theif simple as.

To add to it I would be a lot angrier if someone I trusted stole from me than a stranger….

She stole the money. It wasn’t hers. Simple as that. Sentence does seem high though. Why she pleaded not guilty is beyond me.

Eilish are you saying that white collar crime is ok then?

@Bilbo Baggins Strangers will rob you. Trusted people you know plan to steal from you and usually on an ongoing basis, smoothing over and concealing the damage.
Beware the likes of Ms. Hawkins..

@ Eilish… You’re the only one… Stealing is stealing and it’s wrong, whether from a rich man or a poor man…

She was employed by him. It was her job to maintain his house & look after bills etc. It was not her job to go buy herself 20 race horses!! if you work in a shop & are in charge of the cash, does that give you the right to take some for yourself……NO!!

You’re blaming the victim, Eilish? Hey maybe his skirt was too short too?

Let me pose a question? If any one of you, and I’m not suggesting anyone would, but if any one of you were to steal €13,000 from your employer, then when you reckon they’re going to discover it, you admit it and say you’re feeling suicidial.
Would any of them be as concerned for your well being as Clayton was, find and pay for a local therapist for you or would they suggest a few ideas for your suicidal thoughts?

Firstly the money is spent so there is no returning it. Secondly, if there was money to return, why would it not go back to from whence it came? To do otherwise would be the judicial system stealing from Clayton……? Sorry, but your comment defies logic.

So he expected his PA to spend his money on horses,fancy restaurants and trips abroad? He has earned his money legitmately and in know way can you justify 3million being stolem from him,if you condone it your obviously as morally corrupt as hawkins,although 7yrs is harsh

so if you accidentally leave your cars keys in the ignition and I jump in and drive off in your car, I’m not fully responsible and deserve leniency? Interesting logic.
It’s like saying if a jeweller puts jewellery in the shop window the deserve the smash and grab.

Eilish yet again you take the view that the sinner is the victim. How do you feel about certain developers and Bankers who have taken is for a financial ride in the past few years?

@Eilish How do you know he didn’t? Do you seriously believe she thought Adam Clayton expected her to buy over 20 race horses, apartments in New York, pay for film courses for her children, travel the world in first class while, unknown to him, he footed the bill? He didn’t live the lifestyle she did.
A garda told me many years ago that the worst ones didn’t look like kiddie fiddlers in macs or have masks over their heads, the worst ones were the ones you’d trust with your life, or your kids, or your money. The worst ones were the ones that nobody would ever suspect, the ones that everyone trusted and liked. They did the most damage.
There are some crazy sentance’s in this country, and some elite who’ll never even see the inside of a courtroom, we all tend to believe murderers should be punnished severely and not get a slap on the wrist in a country club. But that doesn’t mean that someone who deliberately stole from a position of trust over a period of years, who’s employer when she told him it was €13,000 and she was suicidal found and paid for a local therapist, who persistently claimed she was not guilty should get a similar crazy sentance. She got a fair sentance. If only everyone in this country did.
I imagine Adam Clayton is now entitled to try and recover what is left of his money, the property and horses etc, it was bought illegally with his money. As she has persistently claimed to be not guilty, the defence being nobody stopped her, I wonder if she’ll try to stop Clayton recovering his own property.

I’d hate to have you look after my books!

I completely disagree