Suspended sentence for man selling stolen tools

A STREET trader was charged with three counts of handling stolen goods at Bantry’s weekly market.

Colette McCarthy, solicitor, recently appeared at Bantry District Court on behalf of Thomas Maughan (24) of 11 Woodview, Bellewstown, Meath. The accused pleaded guilty to handling power tools worth €550; other goods worth €200; and a third lot worth €3,000, at Wolfe Tone Square in Bantry on January 19th 2018.

Sgt Trish O’Sullivan said the gardaí were on patrol at the market on Friday January 19th last when they saw some items that had the owner’s names written on them, on Maughan’s stall. Colette McCarthy said her client bought the power tools as ‘a job lot’ at a market in Kildare and had been co-operative with the gardaí in that he gave them as much information as he could.

She said her client, who is on disability, had paid for the items and is ‘at a loss in that respect.’ She also pointed out that all of the items were returned to the owners.

The solicitor said Thomas Maughan – who is in a long-term relationship and has a four-year old son – realises ‘it is time for him to get out of this business.’

 ‘On this occasion, he didn’t go through everything and check it. He bought it at a market and went to sell it at a market,’ she said. In that respect, Judge Mary Dorgan said: ‘He is part of a cycle.’

She sentenced him to three months’ jail but suspended the sentence on condition that he enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months.