Caretaker denies stealing bags of fruit from school

A school caretaker has gone on trial accused of stealing fruit that was meant to be given to pupils as part of a healthy food initiative.

Thomas Byrne, aged 55, of Howth Road, Raheny, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin District Court to eight counts of theft of bags of bananas, apples oranges worth about €66 from Scoil Fhursa in Kilmore, Dublin 5, between February 24 and March 7, 2014, when he was employed as a caretaker.

Principal Martin Stynes told Judge Ann Ryan that the HSE and Dublin City Council had run a healthy eating programme for schools. He said Scoil Fhursa is in an area designated as socially disadvantaged and the aim of the scheme was for the pupils to try different foods.