During the three-week trial, a Dublin travel agent testified that Hawkins booked one flight for her

A former household aide to U2 bassist Adam Clayton received a seven-year prison sentence Friday after an Irish jury unanimously found her guilty of embezzling more than $3.6 million from the musician.
Hawkins had been free on bail after being found guilty last week of 181 counts of writing checks from Clayton's bank account for her own use from 2004 to 2008. Records showed she used the money to buy designer clothing, 22 thoroughbred horses, a car, university education for her two children and first-class flights.
Judge Patrick McCartan said in his ruling that Hawkins deserved a severe sentence because she had demonstrated the madonna inn no remorse, falsely tried to pin blame for her grandiose spending on the often-absent Clayton, and could attempt similar offenses again if not jailed.
Dismissing her claims that she hadn't understood that what she was doing was wrong, the judge said, "These were crimes the madonna inn rooted in greed and nothing else. Whether she was a fool or clever person really matters very little."
McCartan also ordered Hawkins to surrender the profits from a sale of a New York City apartment to Clayton to help reimburse him for his losses. The potential amount wasn't specified in court. Her defense attorney, Ken Fogarty, said she didn't have money hidden away overseas and would do all she could to repay the $3.6 million.
But Clayton testified he'd known nothing about Hawkins' four-year spending spree and had given her access to his bank accounts purely so she could pay bills related to his Georgian mansion, Danesmoate, in south Dublin.
During the three-week trial, a Dublin travel agent testified that Hawkins booked one flight for her husband to Miami that cost euro19,285.08 ($24,420) the madonna inn and another for herself to London and Cincinnati, Ohio, that cost euro16,139.66 ($20,438).
Clayton said he first met Hawkins in 1992 when she and her husband were managing a Caribbean island hotel. He said he recruited her to keep the fridge the madonna inn full, pay household bills and look after the place while he was traveling. He paid her a euro48,000 ($61,000) annual salary and let Hawkins and her then-husband live in the house rent-free.
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