Court told man stole car batteries and drove dangerous vehicle while grieving

Patrick Sweeney, of 52 Kinavara Heights, Cavan, appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy charged with multiple theft and road traffic offences, including the attempted theft of hundreds of car batteries and driving a dangerously defective vehicle.

The 43-year-old was described in court as a grieving father who had “suffered a string of personal tragedies” during the summer of 2024, when the offences took place. On June 1st, 2024, Sweeney stole three car batteries from a parked vehicle and loaded them into the boot of a silver Toyota Benz.. He was stopped shortly after and the batteries
were recovered by gardaí.

On July 2nd, he drove the same car into a yard, where he attempted to take up to 500 batteries from a battery bin. He was apprehended at the scene. Gardaí said the vehicle was in a dangerous and unroadworthy condition, with a bent and frayed driver’s seat, missing lower ball joints, severe corrosion in the boot, faulty registration
plates, and condensation in the rear lights.

Defence solicitor Ciaran White told the court that Sweeney was a “formidable man” with two children who had been “mentally and emotionally overwhelmed” at the time. “In a single summer, he lost his mother, his sister, and another close relative,” he said. “He’s deeply remorseful and wishes to make amends.” The court was told Sweeney has 25 previous convictions, including five under the Theft Act, as well as for burglary and trespass.

Mr White requested time for his client to gather compensation for the stolen property and for the court to consider his personal circumstances. Judge Murphy said the case was “well into the custody threshold” but agreed to adjourn sentencing to allow for the preparation of a full probation report and the gathering of compensation funds. “I am not ruling out custody,” she warned, “but I will give him the benefit of the doubt—once.” Sweeney was remanded on continuing bail to Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on 27 June 2025.