Car thief ordered to pay €2,000 in compo

A LIMERICK youth who travelled into North Kerry to play a role in the theft of two cars from outside a Ballybunion house has been ordered to pay €2,000 in compensation to the car owners.

Edward Woodland, 68 Cois Luachra, Dooradoyle, Limerick, appeared in custody before Judge James O’Connor on charges relating to the crime which occurred on August 17 of 2015. He pleaded guilty to the matter - which occurred at a home on the Kit Ahern Road in Ballybunion.

The court heard how two cars from stolen from the one household after their home was burgled and the car keys to both vehicles taken.

Garda Inspector Liam Williams informed Judge O’Connor the cars were recovered by gardaí at separate locations on a later date and that, as a result, there was no loss to the injured parties. Subsequent fingerprint analysis led gardaí to question Mr Woodland.

The court heard Woodland was 16 at the time of the incident, which occurred during what was for him a ‘rare foray’ into Kerry. He has 47 previous convictions and is due for release on the five-month sentence he is currently serving for another matter on July 27 next.

Solicitor Pat Enright suggested the theft did not involve breaking and entering:

“There was easy access and the keys were on the hall table.”

He said his client was not the sole agent in the crime: “Obviously, he wasn’t alone but there’s nobody else before the court.”

“Fingerprint analysis showed up his fingers on both cars. They were on the passenger side but so be it..” Mr Enright said.

He reiterated the fact there was ‘no loss’ to the injured parties. “I’ve told him that this is desperate carry-on, coming down here and taking two cars from the one house.”

Judge O’Connor said he had heard enough to suggest Woodland would be facing a two-year jail sentence. “These are people who got up on the morning and not one, but two cars were missing. The first thing you have to do is compensate these people,” Judge O’Connor told the defendant. Questioned by Mr Enright, Woodland suggested offering a total of €1,000 in compensation.

“€1,000 for each car? That’s fine. This stuff has to be stamped out,” the Judge said, adjourning the case to September 1.