Contractor stole €37k worth of computers in act of revenge against Cork firm

Man stole computers from MSD in Brinny and sold them online online for less than their true value, court heard

A contractor acting in revenge against a company in Cork for a perceived grievance stole €37,000 worth of computers from it and sold the items online.

Judge Helen Boyle said: “This was a planned, deliberate and well-executed theft of laptops and he was selling them online for profit for himself and causing a loss to the company.” 

Detective Garda Manus O’Donnell gave evidence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court of the thefts of laptop computers and ‘think-pads’ which caused a €37,000 loss for MSD in Brinny, Co Cork.

The thefts were carried out between October 24, 2020, and January 31, 2021.

Andrew McMorran, 41, of Bandon, Co Cork, was a contractor working for MSD in Brinny at the time and he was stealing the computers and offering them for sale online.

The particular equipment was used uniquely by the company at Brinny and was readily identifiable. The crimes were linked to the accused because a Paypal account set up for payment by online purchasers was set up in McMorran’s name.

A total of 24 computers were purchased — most of them by people outside of Ireland and it was not possible for investigating gardaí to recover property from outside the jurisdiction.

The average cost of each computer to MSD was €1,300. The ones stolen by the defendant were sold for €300 to €700.

“He is a South African national living in Bandon for a number of years. Other than these offences he has not come to the notice of gardaí,” Det Garda O’Donnell said.

Peter O’Flynn, defence barrister, said the defendant was in Bandon for almost 20 years. He said Mr McMorran lost the job he got with another company afterwards.

“These offences are something he deeply regrets,” Mr O’Flynn said.

The accused brought €5,000 compensation to court for MSD and apologised for his actions.

Judge Helen Boyle said the company was still as a loss of €32,000. She imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence which she suspended on condition he would pay back a total of €15,000 more to the company.