Worker admits €5,900 theft

A 49-year-old man admitted yesterday he stole over €5,900 from his former employers, the Blind Maker Ltd company in Cork.

Desmond O’Neill of 113 Grange Abbey Grove, Donaghmede, Dublin, appeared before Cork District Court on seven theft charges yesterday.

Roger Pope BL said O’Neill was pleading guilty to all seven charges.

Inspector Mary King said the charges related to dates between May and August 2014. The amounts stolen on the seven counts were €200, €275, €230, €1,700, €930, €1,600 and €1,000.

She said the total involved amounted to €5,935. The company was based at the Southside industrial estate in Togher, Cork.

Mr Pope said the defendant was anxious to be sentenced yesterday. The barrister said he would be putting forward various mitigating factors and seeking to have the accused given the benefit of a dismissal under the Probation of Offenders Act.

Mr Pope said the accused had gathered compensation to the amount of just over half of the total taken.

Judge Leo Malone said: “Before I address the penalty, the money must be paid back in full. The state won’t accept part payment today so that money should be handed over to his solicitor.”

The judge asked how long the defendant needed to gather the outstanding balance. The barrister said O’Neill planned to go back to work and asked for the case to be put back until October 28.

Judge Malone said he was putting back the case until that date, firstly for payment of the full compensation, secondly for a probation report on the accused and thirdly for penalty.

The accused is now based in Dublin and is to get in contact with the probation service there. Details of the thefts of cash were not outlined in court yesterday.