Man caught with stolen tractor batteries in Tipperary committed 'mean-spirited offence'

Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

placeholder image — Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

A man found in possession of two tractor batteries had engaged in an “extremely mean-spirited offence,” Judge Joanne Carroll said at Nenagh District Court.

Philip McCarthy, 57, of 11a Grattan Court, Limerick, pleaded to handling stolen property at Killeen, Newport, on April 10, 2023.

The court heard that the gardaí received a report that two tractor batteries had been stolen from a farmyard at Cragg, Newport, and 15 minutes after they received the call, they stopped Mr McCarthy at Killeen. A passenger in the car with Mr McCarthy fled the scene, the court heard.

“The farmer could lose a day’s work,” commented Judge Carroll.

Mr McCarthy’s solicitor, David Peters, said that the passenger who fled had asked his client to accompany him and his client knew that he would be paid to drive him to the location.

“He had an idea he was up to no good,” said Mr Peters.

The solicitor said that the other man came back with the batteries but had “done a runner”. However, he had since been apprehended.

Mr Peters said that Mr McCarthy had been under severe financial difficulties at the time.

Judge Carroll said Mr McCarthy “knew exactly to go to the farmyard. There could have been a cost to the farmer as the weather could have changed the next day.”

She asked Mr Peters why she should not jail his client.

“He made admissions. He didn’t actually take the batteries but facilitated it,” he said.

He acknowledged that his client had a previous conviction under the old Larceny Act and had been given a previous suspended sentence.

The court heard Mr McCarthy had 10 previous convictions.

“It was an extremely mean-spirited offence,” said Judge Carroll.

However, in view of the fact that the property had been recovered by “good garda work”, she said that she would sentence Mr McCarthy to three months in prison, but suspended the sentence for two years.