A man caught in Donegal driving a Range Rover that was stolen in Northern Ireland has been jailed.
Thomas Byrne was sentenced to six months in prison when he appeared before Ballyshannon District Court.
Inspector Michael Doherty told the court that gardai intercepted Byrne after a white Range Rover was reported as stolen in the Belleek area of Co Fermanagh.
Byrne was apprehended by gardai at Rathinney Glebe, Ballintra on April 28, 2025.
The 45-year-old was charged with handling stolen property, to wit, a white Range Rover Evoque, knowing that the property was stolen or were reckless as to whether it was stolen. The charge is contrary to section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
Byrne was charged with dangerous driving at Cavan Gardens, Ballyshannon, contrary to section 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No.2) Act, 2011. The court heard that he was driving at 140km/h on a road governed by a 100km/h speed limit.
On the same date, he was also charged with dishonestly making off without paying for €70.03 worth of diesel from Centra, Assaroe Road, Ballyshannon, a charge contrary to section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
Byrne, with an address at Oakgrove, Kinlough, Co Leitrim, was also charged with stealing goods to the value of €643.13 from Homesavers, Saimer Court Shopping Centre, Ballyshannon on January 24, 2025.
Among the items taken were six throws, two rugs, a superhero mask, four Hot Wheel cars, four Matchbox cars, a folding dryer rack, four packets of batteries, three Pokemon watch gifts, 11 Princess watch gifts, one Heat and Eat burger maker, one Heat and Eat sausage roll maker and three tins of emulsion paint.
Byrne was brought to court from Castlerea Prison and solicitor Mr Frank Murphy said his client wished to plead guilty to all matters.
Mr Murphy said his client has been seeking help regarding addiction. He said Byrne was “very contrite” when he encountered the gardai. Mr Murphy added that Byrne, a father-of-two is doing well and engaging with services in prison and is now “throwing himself at the mercy of the court”.
Judge Ciaran Liddy sentenced Byrne to six months in prison for handling stolen property. For dangerous driving, Byrne was handed a two-year driving ban while the other charges were marked as taken into consideration.
Byrne was further charged with a hit-and-run falling to stop and with damaging property on March 1, 2021 at Oakgrove, Kinlough. The court heard that substantial damage was caused and an injured party heard “two loud bangs” before the other vehicle drove away.
For the hit-and-run charge, Byrne was sentenced to six months in prison, to run concurrently, with credit to be given for time already served.