This article is from page 18 of the 2008-05-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A MAN who took almost €8,000 worth of aluminium pallets from outside two businesses in Shannon believed he had the authority to do So, his solicitor told a court.
Patrick McNamara (29), of The Sta- bles, Lickadoon, Ballysheedy, Limer-
ick, admitted stealing 13 aluminium transportation pallets in the Smiths- town area of Shannon. He took eight of them from one premises and five from another, last September.
Garda Paul Coleman told Shannon District Court that the pallets are used to transport cargo in the airline industry. He said the pallets were left
outside the business premises and McNamara had sought permission to take them.
However, while truck drivers – who were on contract to the companies – told him the pallets were a nuisance, he did not have the authority to take possession of them.
He brought the pallets to Limerick
and sold them as scrap. While they were worth almost €8,000 new, he only got €530 from them.
The court was told that while management at both companies did not expect full compensation, they sought some compensation.
Defending solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client had collected pallets from various premises, over a two- year period. “He got the green light from the wrong people,” said the so- licitor.
Garda Coleman accepted that “there certainly wasn’t anything untoward in that he wasn’t coming during the night disguising his vehicle.”
Mr Hassett said his client “very much falls into the reckless category when it comes to the thefts. He was told in both locations they were a nuisance and could be taken.
‘“He’s not a thief by any stretch of the imagination, but accepts he has to plead guilty on the reckless aspect of it,” said Mr Hassett.
Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned the case for a year for the accused to come up with €3,000 in compensa- tion.