AN ANNAGRY man behind a crime wave across County Donegal has been released on bail to raise funds to pay his victim.
Philip Moore, who will be 21 tomorrow, faced dozens of charges including three of skipping bail in the past.
He was finally arrested by Garda Elaine Gordon last week.
Moore, of Crucknakeenan, Annagry, handed in €700 compensation to the victims of his thefts at Letterkenny District Court today.
Goods to the value of €7,725 were taken during his crime spree which included burglaries and thefts from vehicles as well as the taking of car parts from vehicles parked outside victims’ homes.
Holiday homes were also hit during the spree.
He admitted:
Theft at Drumnacart, Annagry on March 7, 2012
Burglary at Meenbanad, Burtonport on January 10, 2012
Theft at Kerrytown, Burtonport on March 29, 2012
Theft at Belcruit, Kincasslagh on February 1, 2012
Trespass at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Theft at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Second theft at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Theft at Meenbanad, Burtonport on June 21, 2012
Theft at Meenbanad, Burtonport on June 4, 2012
Theft at Clos Naomh Duigh, Annagry, on March 1, 2012
Theft at Keadue, Burtonport, on March 1, 2012
Theft at Bunaman, Annagry, on March 1, 2012
Theft at Pier Road, Kincasslagh, on March 29, 2012
Third theft at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Second trespass at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Third trespass at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Fourth theft at Cruckakeehan, Annagry on February 1, 2012
Theft at Kincasslagh on February 1, 2012
Theft at Drumnacart on January 7, 2012
Second theft at Drumnacart on January 7, 2012
Another theft at Kincasslagh on February 1, 2012
Trespass at Kincasslagh on February 1, 2012
Theft at JK Vehicle Repairs, Mullaghdearg in February 2012
Theft at Belcruit Kincasslagh in February/March 2012
Trespass at Belcruit in February/March
Withholding information on stolen property on August 25, 2012
Obstructing a garda in Letterkenny on November 1, 2014
Using threatening and abusive behaviour in Letterkenny on November 1, 2014
Being drunk in Letterkenny on November 1, 2014
Failing to comply with the direction of a garda in Letterkenny on November 1, 2014
Driving without insurance in Letterkenny on December 22, 2014
Driving without a license in Letterkenny on December 22, 2012
Giving a false name to gardai in Letterkenny on December 22, 2014
Skipping bail at Dungloe District Court on November 11, 2014
Failing to appear at Letterkenny District Court on November 20, 2014
Failing to complying with the direction of garda at Meenmore, Dungloe on August 1, 2012
Threatening and abusive behaviour at Meenmore, Dungloe, on August 1, 2012.
Having an non-complying front registration plate on December 30, 2012 in Gortnamucklagh, Glenties.
Having an non-complying rear registration plate on December 30, 2012 in Gortnamucklagh, Glenties.
Failing to display L plates on December 30, 2012 in Gortnamucklagh, Glenties.
Driving unaccompanied as a learner drive on December 30, 2012 in Gortnamucklagh, Glenties.
Driving without insurance on August 30, 2012 at Mullaghduff
Driving without a license on August 30, 2012 at Mullaghduff
Failing to produce an insurance certificate on August 30, 2012 at Mullaghduff
Driving dangerously on August 30, 2012 at Mullaghduff
Failure to produce a license and insurance on August 30, 2012 at Mullaghduff
Causing criminal damage at Cruckakeehan, Annagry, on June 26, 2012
Using threatening and abusive behaviour at Acres, Burtonport on July 28, 2012.
Moore has a number of previous convictions and has already been banned from driving.
Inspector Goretti Sheridan told Judge Paul Kelly that Moore had been involved in a crime spree in west Donegal over a six month period in 2012.
Others had been involved, she said, and the rest of the gang had been dealt with through the district courts or juvenile courts.
Moore had been involved in all of the thefts.
The Inspector opposed bail based on Moore’s previous convictions and failures to appear in court.
However defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher told Judge Kelly that Moore wished to return to London where he was earning £500 per week so that he could gather up the money to pay compensation.
He said Moore had been in custody since his arrest by Garda Gordon and this had been “a very sobering experience”.
Mr Gallagher added: “He was away for a period of time working on oil rigs off the Shetland Islands. At the time of most of the offences he had fallen in with the wrong crowd.
“He is attempting to put his life back together. He was born here, was away in Scotland for a few years, and then came back here.
“He has a good steady job now in London and wishes to continue that.”
Mr Gallagher said his client would return to court on March 2 from London with a further €2,500 compensation for his victims.
Judge Kelly questioned why compensation had not been paid previously.
Mr Gallagher said Moore had been sending money home to pay for home repairs for his parents.
The judge said that he should have been paying his victims, not his family.
However he postponed sentence to allow Moore to pay compensation and he released Moore on bail to appear again at Letterkenny District Court on March 2.
He warned Moore that he should appear that day.
Judge Kelly ordered that the €700 handed in to court today should go the victim with the biggest loss from the thefts “as a down payment”.