Radio pirate gets community service

A radio fanatic who stole and damaged FM 104 transmitting equipment and also stole property from a hospital station for his own pirate broadcasting enterprise has been ordered to do 240 hours of community service.

Paul Archer, aged 22, from Meadow Copse, Blanchardstown, stole the radio transmitting equipment, valued at £13,500 punt, from the FM 104 Radio Equipment Room at Three Rock Mountain in Stepaside, Co Dublin, with the assistance of two friends.

When leaving the building he knocked over one bank of equipment and produced a domino effect on the rest, causing damage valued at approximately £72,000 punt (€92,020).

FM 104 was subsequently off the air for a number of hours, the first time this had occurred in approximately 18 years of broadcasting, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.

The court also heard that he had earlier stolen hi-fi equipment, two pioneer CD players, a radio transmitter, a Phoenix compressor and a mixer band pass from St Ita's Hospital in Portrane.

The equipment stolen here was valued at €5,400.

Judge Desmond Hogan, who said Archer accurately met the definition of a "radio pirate", imposed a two-year sentence but ordered him to do 240 hours of community service in lieu.

He had earlier ordered a probation report after hearing that Archer was on suicide watch for two-and-a-half months while on remand in Cloverhill Prison last year.

Judge Hogan said he was very concerned about this case. Archer had previous convictions and the offences were premeditated with further serious damage done but he would impose community service in lieu of imprisonment.

"However, I have no doubt he would be going to jail if it wasn't for the fact that the probation services have taken him under their wing", he added.

Archer pleaded guilty to the burglary at St Ita's Hospital on March 19, 2000, and the burglary of the FM 104 equipment room on July 30, 2000.

He also admitted the criminal damage of property in the room on the same date.

Inspector Tom Lundon said Archer was a radio fanatic who had broadcast his own station numerous times in the past.

When he was arrested he had a station being transmitted from the back of his house.

Inspector Lundon said Archer had two previous convictions for stealing radio equipment from stations in Mayo and Balltinglass but was only fined the first time and given 240 hours community service the second.

Both offences dated back to 2000 also.

Some of the stolen equipment had been recovered because he tried to dump it when he realised he would not be able to get it to work.

Archer came voluntarily to the garda station and told them he knew so much about radios because he worked for a number of months in Kiss FM.

Inspector Lundon said he strongly objected to Archer's High Court bail last year because he thought he wouldn't turn up in court.

He had lived under different names for a period of time and warrants were issued against him in the past. Bail was granted but under strict conditions.

Mr Martin Archer, his father, told Ms Marie Torrens BL, defending, that his son was now living with his girlfriend in Newbridge and they had a young child.

He was working as a courier three days a week and did his community service on the other three days.