‘Abandoned after 100-mile trip to give man €7k loan’

A KIND-hearted farmer was driven 100 miles (160km) to Dublin to withdraw €6,700 to lend to a man who had befriended him – only for this man to then abandon him in the city, a court has heard.

The Roscommon farmer was forced to find his own way home in the days leading up to Christmas, it is claimed. He allegedly gave the money to the man who, he claimed, said he needed it to get his impounded van returned from a Dublin customs office.

The alleged victim contacted gardaí after getting a lift back to his home.

The accused appeared at a special sitting of Carrick-on-Shannon District Court last week on charges of making gain by deception.

Judge Kevin Kilrane heard that the alleged perpetrator had befriended the farmer over several months and had told him that his trade van was impounded in Dublin for using ‘green’ agricultural diesel.

He said that he needed €6,700 to have the van released by customs officers in Dublin and would then immediately sell it and return the money to his friend. The farmer agreed to provide the money as long as it was promptly returned.

The accused allegedly drove him to Dublin, waited for him to withdraw €6,700 from the bank and then said he would be back after paying the money to customs.

Before the farmer could object, the man drove off, abandoning him in Dublin without any means to get home, the court heard.

The accused was arrested at a Traveller camp in Sligo last week. Judge Kilrane heard that he will allege that the money was a long-term loan – a claim the farmer disputes.

The judge adjourned the case to decide on whether it should be heard in the district or circuit court.

A Garda spokesman confirmed a man had appeared at the court on December 19 in relation to the case.

He said that the man is expected to return to court on January 26.