Man broke into car pound to take back wife's car after it was impounded due to unpaid toll charges

Accused was caught on CCTV cutting through a lock valued at €500 and taking the car, court told

Car had €5,000 to €7,000 in unpaid tolls linked to it, court heard. File picture

A man broke into a car pound to take back his wife's car which had been impounded due to thousands of unpaid M50 charges, a court has heard.

Keith O'Neill, 22, of Sheehy Skeffington Meadows, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Ktech Security, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght on December 3, 2021.

Prosecuting counsel Rebecca Smith BL told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that a few days earlier, a car owned by O'Neill's wife was seized and taken to the secure yard in Tallaght. The car had €5,000 to €7,000 in unpaid tolls linked to it.

On December 2, the woman phoned to ask for the car to be returned and later that day she and O'Neill went to the yard to ask to get the car back.

She contacted the yard again the next day and asked for items to be returned and there was some discussion about payments. That night, O'Neill was caught on CCTV breaking into the yard and taking the car.

The father of two cut through a lock valued at €500. The car was later recovered parked at a location not associated with his home address.

O'Neill has a number of previous convictions for criminal damage and for road traffic offences.

The court heard the break-in left the owner more concerned about the premises and he had to increase the security.

George Burns BL, defending, said the outstanding toll fines were subsequently paid. He said his client was not working currently and had had a lot of serious mental health problems in recent years.

Judge Martin Nolan suspended a prison sentence of 18 months on condition that O'Neill keep the peace and be of good behaviour. He also ordered him to pay a sum of €750 over to the business owner or to a charity of his choosing.