Jail for man involved in series of thefts

A 23-YEAR-OLD MAN of Romanian nationality, who was involved in a series of thefts and burglaries in the North Monaghan area, was given consecutive jail sentences totalling eight months at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

Fabian Neagu (23) of 15 Flower Hill, Navan, Co Meath, had pleaded guilty to nine charges including two burglaries, three theft incidents, and four counts of making gain by deception, all on or just before March 1 of this year.

Judge Raymond Finnegan was told during the hearing that a laptop worth €820 was among the goods stolen, and that it was the only item recovered to its owner. The total value of goods taken had been estimated at between €3,500 and €4,000.

Detective Garda Colm McDonagh stated that on March 1, 2025, gardaí received reports of overnight burglaries and thefts in the Carrickroe and Emyvale areas. The items stolen from vehicles and buildings included power tools, garden equipment, jewellery, cash and bank cards.

The officer said gardaí became aware of a number of banking transactions in Dublin on the morning of March 1 in which bank cards stolen from the injured parties were used. Further inquiries were carried out in relation to a hired car, resulting in the arrests of two people at Dublin Airport. A third suspect, the defendant, was subsequently identified.

A warrant to search Mr Neagu’s residence was obtained and, during the search on March 13, numerous suspected stolen items were seized, including the laptop stolen in the Monaghan incidents.

While at Monaghan Garda Station following his arrest, the defendant was cooperative and made a number of admissions under caution in relation to the burglaries and thefts, and also with regard to transactions using the stolen bank cards.

Det Gda McDonagh said Neagu had nine previous convictions, eight of which were for road traffic violations, with one for theft.

Niall Fox, solicitor, said his client was a young man who had a partner and one-and-a-half year old daughter. He had been in Ireland for five years and was working in construction but had lost this employment after losing his licence in relation to driving offences.

He explained that the two others involved in these incidents knew he was under financial pressure at a time that his daughter’s birthday was coming up.

To his client’s credit he made full admissions to the gardaí, Mr Fox said. It was accepted he had one previous conviction for theft in August 2022. He was in custody since March 15 and the court was asked to be as lenient as possible.

Judge Finnegan said that, while he would give credit for the cooperation and guilty plea, this episode had to be marked, and the only way to do that was by a prison sentence. The sentencing would reflect and the fact that the injured parties were at a loss of up to €4,000 worth of personal property, in some cases very personal items like jewellery.

For the theft of a cordless drill, batteries, a grinder, a wallet, cash and bank cards from a shed entered into at Davagh, Emyvale, on a date unknown between February 28 and March 1, a two-month prison sentence was handed down.

Consecutive two-month jail terms were given for the taking of four power drills, a leaf blower and chain saw, hedge trimmers, a consaw, a laptop, a jewellery box, a bottle of wine and other items from three separate premises at Sougher, at Brackach, and at Dernahallen, all in the Emyvale area.

Other charges relating to making gain or causing loss by deception by the use of stolen bank cards in Dublin were marked proven and taken into consideration. These included obtaining foods and beverages worth €48 from Donnybrook Fair, 89 Moorehampton Road, Dublin 4, and from McDonald’s, O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1 (€39) and EuroSPAR, Bath Avenue, Dublin 4 (€32), all on March 1 last.

Judge Finnegan clarified that this meant a total of eight months were to be served, with the sentences backdated to March 15, when Neagu was first taken into custody. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.