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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Mark O'Brien

All-Ireland Final tickets scam involves man on the run from Maghaberry, victim claims

A man on the run from Maghaberry Prison has allegedly conned a desperate GAA fan out of over €400 in an elaborate scheme.

It is claimed Conman Wesley Brennan met the woman on Tuesday afternoon after gaining her trust and offering her a number of tickets for Sunday's sold-out All-Ireland Final.

The 32-year-old is unlawfully at large after failing to return from temporary release from the prison last year while on remand for another alleged All-Ireland ticket scam.

The alleged victim claims made contact after she was hoping to secure two tickets for her daughter and her best friend, through adverts.ie.

A con artist went to great lengths to convince the woman that he was genuine by setting up an Instagram account and claiming he was a solicitor working in legal policy for the GAA.

He then gained her trust in a series of messages where he claimed he was only interested in selling the tickets to "genuine" fans.

The woman, known as Siobhan to protect her and her daughter's identity, told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline yesterday that 'Brennan went to extraordinary lengths to show he was legitimate'.

She said: "He went to the Cusack Stand, stood outside section 307 [in the food vending section of the stadium], he took a video of himself and said my daughters name and showed her where she'd be sitting on Sunday.

"He text me then and asked me to show her [Siobhan's daughter] the video because the tickets were 'guaranteed'."

He even described ticket touts as "soulless hounds" in one message.

After claiming to have secured the two tickets on Tuesday morning, Siobhan claims she was offered more tickets for the premium level.

They eventually agreed to a price of €420 for five tickets and agreed to meet near Croke Park that afternoon.

Siobhan alleged he took her cash and claimed he had to pick up the tickets in the GAA ticket office on Dorset Street.

He allegedly asked her to wait in a nearby cafe but never returned, leaving the heartbroken mother without the promised tickets.

A garda spokesman told Dublin Live they are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing. 

Brennan is at large after being let out on leave from HMP Maghaberry in Lisburn in January 2018.

He had been remanded in custody in the after he was charged with fraud by false representation in September 2017.

He is alleged to have created false ads online offering tickets for the 2017 All-Ireland Final.

He remains listed as 'Unlawfully At Large' on the Department of Justice Northern Ireland website.

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