Man who stole trailer from charity shop jailed

A man who stole a trailer from a charity shop that was used to collect donated items has been jailed.

David O'Brien of Primrose Cottage, Dromahane, Mallow, Co Cork had pleaded guilty of stealing the trailer from the shop in Dunmanway in West Cork.

He had been instructed to pay €1,000 in compensation by June 7. The money was not paid. His solicitor Ray Hennessy yesterday told Clonakilty District Court his client was seeking more time.

Insp Pat Meaney said the trailer was removed from outside the Tar Isteach charity shop on October 16, 2014. CCTV showed a white transit van pull up, a man got out and spoke on a mobile phone before hitching up the trailer and driving off.

The van later left a filling station with no money having been paid for diesel.

The court heard O'Brien admitted the offences to gardaí but only after being shown the cctv footage.

The court heard the owner of the charity shop had later spotted the trailer for sale on the donedeal website and it had been recovered.

O'Brien (44) had 50 previous convictions.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison for the theft of the trailer and three months for the theft of the diesel, with the sentences to run concurrently.

Judge James McNulty said it was a case of Mr O'Brien "squandering the opportunity" to avoid jail.