Donegal man in court over €111,000 steel theft

A man accused of stealing over €100,000 worth of steel beams in Letterkenny faces a trial.

Patrick Crossan has been charged with stealing the valuable cache of steel beams from a premises on Neil T Blaney Road, Letterkenny, on April 2, 2022.

Crossan, aged 45 and of Trentagh, Churchill, was before Letterkenny District Court where a book of evidence was served.

A Garda gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on Crossan.

He is charged that he did steal property to wit steel beams to the value of €111,825, the property of PJ McDermott.

The charge is contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.

He is also charged that he did, without lawful excuse, damage property to wit steel beams belonging to PJ McDermott intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.

The charge is contrary to section 2 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991.

Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented to the accused being sent forward to the next sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court, which commences in February.

Crossan was represented by solicitor Ms Alison Parke.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham made an order returning Crossan for trial and administered the alibi warning. A section 56 order, relating to videos of interviews, was also made.