Man who stole stash of wine was selling it on roadside

Gardaí were alerted to the bizarre scene of a man who stole a large stash of wine from a restaurant frantically trying to sell it on the side of the road in the early hours of the morning.

Joseph O’Sullivan, aged 30, was jailed for six months yesterday for the burglary at El Vino restaurant in Douglas Village on November 16, 2016.

Detective Garda Denis Callanan said gardaí responded to a call about a man behaving in an unusual manner at Hazelwood Grove in Glanmire in the early hours of the morning.

They arrived and located Joseph O’Sullivan with a large volume of wine in his car. At the time gardaí were not aware of the theft from El Vino. It only became clear that this wine represented the proceeds of this burglary when the owner reported the crime to gardaí subsequently.

It transpired there had been a break-in at a refrigerated unit in the restaurant.

“He made full and frank admissions in relation to the burglary,” said Det Garda Callanan.

Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor, said: “He was caught red-handed in possession of the wine because of his bizarre activity of retailing the recently stolen wine. The only thing left for the guards to discover where the wine had been stolen from. It was his admission which facilitated the burglary charge.”

Judge Olann Kelleher noted that O’Sullivan’s reply after caution was, “I am sorry I did it.” The €600 worth of stolen wine was recovered.

Mr Buttimer said O’Sullivan, with an address at 60 Woodview, Carrigaline, Co Cork, had a pattern of problems arising from drinking and getting involved in thefts.

Insp Vincent O’Sullivan said the accused had 15 previous burglary convictions. Mr Buttimer said the defendant’s family had tried to support him in getting treatment for his alcohol addiction but that ultimately he was going to have to commit to treatment.