Carndonagh Court grants order to dispose of BMW car reported stolen in Manchester
The vehicle had come to the attention of Inishowen Gardai in connection with a criminal charge
A car reported stolen in England more than a decade ago before later turning up in Inishowen has been cleared for disposal after no owner came forward to claim it.
The unusual case came before Carndonagh District Court, sitting at Buncrana Courthouse, where Judge Emile Daly granted a Garda application for the disposal of the BMW vehicle.
The application was brought by Inspector Sean McDaid in respect of a silver BMW 520 estate which has been held in Garda custody at Buncrana Garda Station in connection with a criminal investigation.
Sergeant Conor Mulkerns outlined the background to the application, telling the court that the BMW had been seized in Carndonagh on April 16, 2023.
The vehicle had come to the attention of Inishowen Gardai in connection with a criminal charge, and subsequent inquiries revealed it had previously been reported stolen in the Greater Manchester area of England.
The court heard that the car was registered to a woman in Didsbury, Manchester, who did not make any effort to claim it.
Sergeant Mulkerns explained that the BMW was one of a number of vehicles subject to a contract hire agreement entered into in May 2014. However, payments under the agreement ceased, and the vehicle was subsequently reported as stolen.
Despite having originally disappeared in Manchester, the BMW resurfaced years later in Donegal, where it was recovered by gardaí in Carndonagh more than three years ago.
The court heard that all relevant parties had been notified that the vehicle was being held in Garda custody, including the contract hire company connected to the original agreement.
However, despite those notifications, nobody came forward to claim ownership of the car or seek its return.
Following the evidence, Judge Daly granted the application and made an order permitting the State to dispose of the vehicle.