Suspended sentence for having stolen property

A BALLYMITTY man was give an 18-month suspended sentence having pleaded guilty to the possession of a number of stolen items, including a flat-body trailer and a ride-on lawnmower that belonged to a parish priest.

Billy Martin (42), of Ballyknock, Ballymitty came before Judge Cormac Quinn at a sitting of Wexford Circuit Criminal Court.

He pleaded guilty to being in possession of a flat-body trailer knowing it to be stolen on February 23, 2016. He further pleaded guilty to possesson of a Castle Garden ride-on lawnmower; a Jonsered ride-on Lawnmower; and also to possession of a Draper socket set, electric planer and a De Walt battery drill, knowing them to be stolen,

Garda John Maher told the court that two search warrants had been obtained, with searches carried out at the defend- ant’s home in Ballymitty. Between the two searches the items were seized and returned to their owners.

One of the items, he said, was a homemade trailer which was returned to a Mr Bradley, while a ride-on lawnmower was returned to Fr James Kehoe which had been stolen from the parochial house in Bannow. A second ride-on lawnmower was identified by a Mr. Roche which was returned to him, while the remaining property was identified by a Richard Flynn and returned.

Garda Maher told Prosecuting Counsel Sinead Gleeson that the defendant was arrested and conveyed to New Ross Garda Station where he was interviewed. He was very co-operative. He did not waste any garda time and answered all the questions put to him. All of the property had been returned, he added.

The defendant, said Garda Martin, is a stonemason by trade and is married with children. He is a very good family man. He had no previous convictions and has not come to the attention of gardai since these incidents.

Defence Counsel Liam Stafford said the defendant is a married man with two children. He is a stonemason by trade while he works one night a week at Waterford Greyhound Track. Mr Stafford said that all of the property had been returned to the owners. He said his client has certainly learned a lesson while the Probation and Welfare report is very positive.

Judge Quinn sentenced the defendant to 18 months on each of the four charges, the sentences to run concurrently. He would suspend the sentences in their entirety on the defendant entering into a bond of €200 to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of 18 months.