CAR DEALER HANDED SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR THEFT

A NEW ROSS car dealer who was found guilty by a jury of five charges of theft relating to the sale of motor vehicles has been given a suspended twoyear concurrent sentence on each of the charges.

James Sydney, of 7 Woodlawn Grove, New Ross, was found guilty at an earlier sitting of Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to thefts totalling €52,000 from various customers. At last week’s sentencing hearing, Judge Cormac Quinn handed down a two-year prison sentence for each of the charges, to run concurrently. Each of the sentences are to be suspended in full.

The New Ross businessman, who is now working in London, was found guilty to theft of €8000, property of Thomas Dudek between September 10, 2014, and October 6, 2014, at Sidney’s Garage, Marshmeadows, New Ross.

He was further found guilty to theft of €17,000, property of Paul Burke on August 20, 2014, at Sidney Garage; theft of €17,000 property of Thomas dunphy, Jnr., between September 19, 2014, and September 30, 2014; theft of €3500 property of Robert Bartowski on September 15, 2014, at Sidney’s Garage; and theft of €7000, property of Bernard Brookwell, on September 26, 2014.

On each occassion, Sidney agreed to sell the victims’ cars, but failed to repay them once the cars were sold.

When the case came back before Judge Quinn at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court, Prosecuting Counsel, Ms Sinead Gleeson told the court that Judge Barry Hickson directed that if payments of €500 per month be made to the injured parties, a two-year suspendend sentence would be imposed.

To date €17,000 has been paid, including €6,000 which was handed over to the court last week.