A woman accused of defrauding pensioners of 380,000 euros could face up to seven years in prison. Her defence team argues the punishment is too severe.

The prosecution demands a seven-year prison sentence without parole for the 42-year-old defendant, who stands accused of stealing around €380,000 from 10 elderly victims over a period of seven years, from 2014 to 2021.

A representative of the prosecution said the above estimate was "conservative" in its nature. The woman is also accused of having stolen jewellery and other valuable items from her victims.

The woman is also said to have spent time living with her victims, either by herself or with some of her eight children. Some of her victims, the majority of whom were elderly men, have since passed away.

The accused admitted most of the charges against her, but claimed she was no longer certain of details regarding the stories she told her victims, nor was she sure of what she received from each target. During an earlier court session she said she needed money to feed her children and to provide them with housing. She also claimed her husband had put pressure on her to obtain money.

The prosecution pointed out the defendant had been in receipt of child benefits and other financial support from time to time. Her situation had not been as precarious as her account might lead one to believe. The children failed to attend school regularly, which pointed to her lack of appropriate care towards them. In addition, prosecutors said her husband had only been involved on the periphery of the crimes, while the accused had correctly been identified by her victims.

The accused's lawyer claimed the prosecution's demands were too high. On Monday, the accused will be able to complete her plea.