“She is a really dishonest individual,” he stated.
James Byrne and his sister Maria informed how self-described ‘psychic medium’ Debbie Paget:
Paget – who was this week convicted of dishonestly inducing by deception James Byrne to present her €10,000 however discovered not responsible of inducing Maria Byrne to present her €200 – was not residence after we referred to as to property in Knowth Court docket, Ballymun this week.
On Fb, the place she continues to promote her companies as a medium – she is sustaining her innocence.
“It’s a miscarriage of justice,” she informed one supporter, “and I’m going to see if I can do something,”
Instructed of Paget’s denials, sufferer James stated he wasn’t in in the slightest degree shocked.
“She is a really dishonest individual,” he stated.
Requested how Paget had come into their lives, Maria stated she had suffered a fall whereas stepping off the underside step of the steps of the household residence in 2020.
“I fell down the final step of the steps and I fractured my ankle in 5 locations,” she recalled.
“I used to be in Blanchardstownhospital for 2 weeks and after that I used to be in respite for 3 months in Newpar… She ended up coming in to take care of me. It was an hour within the morning and an hour at night time. She was good at first however then began not turning up an excellent little bit of the time.
“And when she did flip up…, if I used to be smoking out within the again backyard, she began popping out and saying issues about James … issues, she stated, I wasn’t to inform James.”
James stated Paget was additionally doing this with him.
“One time, she stated to me that Maria was solely utilizing me. I wasn’t to say it however I did say that again to Maria. And that had a huge impact on our relationship.“We had been rowing on a regular basis, banging doorways and all the pieces. “
“The rows solely began after she turned Maria’s carer – she (Paget) stopped us trusting one another.”
James additionally stated Paget usually made repeated references to her personal troublesome monetary scenario, hinting that he would possibly give her cash, to pay for a invoice, like getting her automobile mounted.
Maria stated it was a couple of 12 months into Paget’s work along with her as a carer earlier than she satisfied the siblings to do a studying.“She informed us that she was a medium and she or he stated she may do a studying on me,” Maria recalled.
“I stated I don’t imagine in that garbage.
“However then, sooner or later, I used to be standing exterior within the again backyard along with her and she or he informed me my father was standing subsequent to me.
“I didn’t know what to say.”
Ultimately, the siblings stated, Paget did get them to comply with a studying.
“She took us out to her home collectively,” James recalled. She introduced out the candles and the incense. And he or she did two readings … one for every of us. When she did mine, she informed me that I used to be going to really feel my father touching me. I didn’t really feel something.
“She stated a couple of issues after which she stated your father desires you to present me €10,000… I didn’t really feel a contact however I did imagine my father was there. And the subsequent day I went to the financial institution and took out… €10,000 for her.“I took out the ten thousand for her and one other €3,000 for numerous issues I wanted to do.”
Requested why he gave Paget the cash, James replied: “I simply felt underneath a lot strain.
“She informed me it will be a sin on my soul if I didn’t. She stated the satan would get me and I might go to hell.
“She stored urgent and urgent and I couldn’t take any extra … it was the strain.”“She stored asking: ‘When are you going to present it to me?’
“So, I handed it over.
“She by no means informed me what she needed it for.
“I gave her the cash in an envelop and she or he put it down her prime.”
The siblings then realised James had been swindled when Paget stopped working as Maria’s carer inside a matter of weeks. Then they went to the Gardaí.
“She stated she obtained sacked however we came upon the opposite day she resigned,” stated Maria.
“I can’t keep in mind precisely however I believe it was solely every week after she took the cash that she left.
“She stated I didn’t want a carer any extra and that’s after I obtained onto the corporate.”
James stated, after the siblings went to gardai concerning the cash, they thought-about pulling out on plenty of events.
“We talked about it however I stated to Maria if we pulled out we’d be letting her win.
“And if we pulled on the market could be nothing to cease her doing it to a different individual after which one other.
“I needed her to be held accountable.“
She is so dishonest, she harm us, she betrayed, she’s a “depraved, egocentric, manipulative scumbag.”
Throughout interviews with the gardai, Paget confirmed she was often known as a “psychic medium” which meant that she may “see past the veil” and talk with the lifeless.
However she stated she had provided this service for 40 years and had “by no means charged a penny” for it.
She denied ever doing “a studying” for the complainants or ever receiving any cash from both of them.
She stated she by no means requested both complainant for cash and had no concept why both of them would lie.
On Tuesday, after deliberating for a little bit over 4 hours, a jury within the Circuit Legal Court docket discovered Paget responsible, by a majority, of the primary depend. Sentencing will happen on July 10.
