A ‘very wealthy’ lady boss who was ‘head over heels’ for her burglar boyfriend has found herself behind bars after trying to pull a fast one on her insurance company following a £350,000 heist that he orchestrated at her residence. Emma O’Shea was seen as an easy target by Dean Ryan, who enlisted the help of an accomplice to break into her home and make off with ‘high value’ diamond jewelry, designer handbags, and envelopes stuffed with thousands of pounds in cash. Despite the burglary, the 46-year-old refused to believe her partner was involved and attempted to deceive insurers into forking over the cash before skipping town to the Caribbean to dodge his trial.
The mother-of-one, Emma O’Shea, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by a judge who criticized her ‘selfish’ actions in committing insurance fraud following the theft from her £900,000 abode in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The court heard that O’Shea, who now resides in a £1.5 million mansion, was ‘infatuated’ with her beau, Ryan, 41, who schemed to steal from her without her knowledge. Among the valuable items stolen from O’Shea’s residence were a £15,000 Tiffany engagement ring, Tiffany platinum diamond earrings valued at £16,000, and a Tiffany platinum diamond ring worth £22,000.
Ryan, who admitted to his crimes at the beginning of the trial in January of this year, was handed a four-year sentence for conspiracy to commit burglary of a dwelling, conspiracy to commit fraud, and perverting the course of justice. His associate, Gary Cleeve, 45, who carried out the burglary, received a three-year prison term after denying conspiracy to commit burglary of a dwelling. Both Ryan and Cleeve opted out of attending the sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court, showing a lack of remorse for their actions. The court also heard that Cleeve is currently serving a nine-year sentence for an armed robbery that occurred in December 2021.
The eight-minute robbery, which occurred in the afternoon of March 20, 2022, was executed while Ryan was out on bail for armed robbery and had amassed 16 convictions for 34 offenses committed between 1999 and 2004. O’Shea was alerted to the burglary by her Ring doorbell and promptly contacted the authorities. She also reached out to her housekeeper, Mrs. Krol, who discovered the break-in while the couple were away. The burglars made off with approximately £350,000 worth of jewelry, handbags, watches, and cash before Mrs. Krol noticed that the dressing room window had been left open, not shattered.
Despite the evidence pointing to Ryan’s involvement in the burglary, O’Shea stood by him and even attempted to deceive her insurance company by fabricating a broken window to claim the stolen goods. Her actions not only resulted in her own imprisonment but also affected her housekeeper, who had £12,000 stolen but only received £7,000 back from O’Shea. The judge condemned O’Shea’s denial of her role in the offenses, highlighting her wealth and infatuation with Ryan as contributing factors to her misguided actions. As the case unfolded, it became evident that O’Shea’s family members were also entangled in the web of deceit, with her mother, Sarah O’Shea, receiving a suspended sentence for her involvement in perverting the course of justice.
