A bench warrant has been issued for a man who stole a 27ft caravan in west Donegal and drove it 169 kilometres.
Stephen Ward failed to appear in court to explain how he is going to compensate the owner.
Ward previously admitted taking the Hobby Caravan model 570 from the property of George Gilmore at Ballyness, Falcarragh on September 7, 2019.
The 25-year-old Ward has appeared in court, but was not present this week when his case was called at Falcarragh District Court.
Last month, Judge Éiteáin Cunningham remarked that “we have to get to the bottom of this” and ordered the accused’s appearance.
Solicitor Mr Frank Murphy said that his client was due to be in court with compensation.
However, he did not appear when the registrar read his name aloud over the court tannoy.
Inspector Seamus McGonigle sought a bench warrant and Judge Cunningham granted the application.
“This is going on too long,” Judge Cunningham said.
The court previously heard how canny gardai tracked the caravan more than 169 kilometres using dozens of CCTV cameras along the route before finally nabbing Ward.
The court was told that on September 7, 2019 a Hobby Caravan model 570 was stolen from the property of George Gilmore at Ballyness, Falcarragh.
Local gardai got their thinking hats on and viewed dozens of CCTV cameras in a bid to track down the 27ft long caravan which is valued at €9,200.
They viewed CCTV footage leaving all directions out of Falcarragh and spotted the caravan being towed.
They then crossed-referenced dozens of CCTV cameras along the route before tracking the caravan to an address at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
When gardai seized the caravan, there was €4,471 worth of damage or property missing.
His solicitor Mr Rory O’Brien said his client had planned to use the caravan for living accommodation.
He said his client had been told the caravan had been abandoned as the owner had passed away.
Mr O’Brien said this was not an excuse but this is what Ward, of Main Street, Ballybay, Co Monaghan told the gardai when they arrived at his door.
Ward admitted being at the scene, but was not driving the vehicle which towed away the caravan.
Ward has made some payments towards the compensation which he was ordered to pay by Judge Raymond Finnegan at a previous court sitting.
In April, 2022, Judge Deirdre Gearty told Ward “The day for negotiation is gone as far as I’m concerned. It’s not a bidding situation.”
Judge Cunningham said the case was ongoing for a number of years to before when she arrived at Donegal Court District 1 which was in 2022.
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