Man charged with stealing emergency vehicle keys in Donegal wants to plead guilty

A man accused of taking the keys of three emergency vehicles from outside Letterkenny University Hospital has told a court he wants to plead guilty to the charges.

John Stokes, 30, appeared by videolink at Letterkenny District Court. The accused, a 30-year-old of Millrace, Belfast, was charged that on December 18, 2025 having entered a building known as the staff locker room at the Ambulance Centre of Letterkenny University Hospital as a trespasser, he did commit an arrestable offence therein, the theft of three sets of keys to emergency service vehicles.

The charge is contrary to section 12 (1) (b) and (30 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001. Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle previously outlined to the court that Gardai received a report of a burglary at the Ambulance Centre of Letterkenny University Hospital. A male was captured on CCTV entering various rooms, including a staff locker room.

It was discovered by ambulance personnel that the keys of three vehicles – a Mercedes Ambulance, a Renault
Intermediate Care Vehicle and a Volkswagen Transporter van – had been taken.

When Gardaí viewed CCTV, Stokes was identified as the suspect. Officers called to a property in Letterkenny and Stokes was found lying at the front door. He was arrested for burglary, and the key of the Mercedes Ambulance was found on his person.

Sergeant Doyle told the court that the incident could have placed the wider public at risk, lest an ambulance be taken or that in the event of an emergency call, that staff couldn’t mobilise an ambulance.

This, Sergeant Doyle said, was at a time when the Ambulance Service’s work is exacerbated by a high volume of calls in the days before Christmas. Mr Jason Laverty, solicitor for Stokes, said his client has various medical issues and an addiction to alcohol.

He sought bail but had been refused by Judge Ciaran Liddy. Judge Liddy said: “He posed a risk to the efficient operation of the emergency services and I am not prepared to take that chance.”

Stokes appeared again at Letterkenny District Court and told the court that he wanted to plead guilty to the charges.

However, Garda Sergeant Jim Collins said they had still not received directions from the Director of Public prosecutions in the case. The case was adjourned until January 19.