Jailed for the theft of tools from van over ten years ago

A DUBLIN man has been jailed for the theft of tools from a van being used by construction workers at the National Rehabilitation Hospital over a decade ago, reports Eimear Dodd.

Patrick Maughan (39) broke a van window and took over

€9,250 worth of tools from the vehicle, which were recovered after his van, which had false registration plates on it, was spotted by gardaí a short time later.

Imposing sentence on Thursday, Judge Pauline Codd said there has to be deterrence for this type of offence against those working in the building trade who have to invest in their tools.

She said workers like the injured parties can be “doing a day’s work” when people like the accused “come along and interfere with their equipment”. She handed Maughan a two-year prison sentence with the final six months suspended on strict conditions.

Detective Inspector Vivian Rock told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that the two injured parties were carrying out work at the hospital on September 17, 2012. One of the men returned to his van at around 3.30pm and saw the back door was open.

A silver van was parked across the van and another man, later identified as Maughan, was going back and forth between the two vehicles.

Maughan had broken a window to gain access to the construction worker’s van.

When he spotted this injured party, he got into his van and went to drive off.

The injured party ran in front of the van to try to stop it from leaving and noticed there were two other occupants in the vehicle alongside Maughan. He also got the van’s registration.

Gardaí noticed a silver van at Cherrywood Industrial Estate heading towards the M50, with a different registration plate. It was observed that this van contained three occupants as described by the injured party.

Gardaí followed the van onto the M50 southbound, later indicating for it to pull over. Maughan pulled the van over.

Gardaí observed a sticky substance on the registration plate, suggesting that another registration plate had been stuck over the original plate. They searched the van and found the tools in the back. He was arrested and made full admissions when interviewed.

Maughan pleaded guilty to a charge of theft. He took tools with a total value of €9,250, including four hydraulic motors, two drills and two extension bars, which belonged to the two construction workers.

The tools were returned to the construction workers. No victim impact statements were submitted to the court and no estimate was available for the cost of the damage caused to the van window.

Maughan with an address in Hazel Hill, Killinarden, Tallaght, Dublin 24, has 75 previous convictions including for theft, possession of stolen property and attempted theft.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he had 53 previous convictions at the time of this offence. He left the jurisdiction before this case was dealt with and a bench warrant was issued for him. He has been in custody since the bench warrant was executed earlier this week.

Det Insp Rock agreed with Kieran Kelly BL, defending, that his client was arrested following a recent family funeral.

It was further accepted that Maughan went to the United Kingdom following this incident.

It was agreed that Maughan has a number of convictions from the UK and spent time in custody there.

Mr Kelly outlined that his client is a father of two children. His wife and mother were in court to support him. A letter was also handed in from his mother.

Maughan’s sister recently passed away and the family are involved in the care of her children.

Mr Kelly asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty plea and the principles of totality and proportionality when imposing a sentence.

He noted his client’s record and acknowledged his previous convictions for similar offences. He asked the court for as much leniency as possible.

Judge Codd noted that this offence dates back to 2012 and that Maughan had absconded before this was dealt with. She said the aggravating factors include Maughan’s previous convictions, the value of the tools and that there were other people in the van at the time of the offending.

She said Maughan did not appear to be “amenable” to rehabilitation since this offence was committed as he has “shown no sign that a further incarceration has caused him to reflect on offending”.

Judge Codd said the use of a false registration plate was “sinister” and suggested a level of sophistication in terms of the offence.

She said the court took into account the mitigation including Maughan’s guilty plea, his admissions and his personal circumstances.