A Dublin man staged the theft of his electric bike so he could claim for the cost of it on his insurance policy, a court has been told.
However, after he had staged the theft - taking his own bike away so he could claim it had been stolen - he later went to retrieve the bike and it really had been stolen.
Dublin District Court was told John Collins had been paid €1,425 on the false insurance claim he lodged and that he had spent the money fixing a leak in his kitchen.
It also emerged during the hearing that Mr Collins, a pensioner from St Pappin’s Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, was on medication at the time of the staged theft last November and that the medication caused him to act impulsively.
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The court was also told Mr Collins had worked all his life, was now retired and had never been in any trouble before. He pleaded guilty to making a gain through deception.
Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case after hearing details of what happened, including what 71-year-old Mr Collins had spent the money on. Judge Smyth said he would not leave him with a criminal record if he paid compensation for the false claim.
Mr Collins reported the theft of the bike to the Garda on November 2nd last year. He then lodged a claim with Aviva Insurance on his home insurance policy and was paid the money.
However, when the case was investigated Mr Collins was seen on CCTV taking the bike away from the location where he had locked it, rather than the bike being stolen.
The case was adjourned to March to allow Mr Collins time to gather the money required to pay compensation and conclude the matter without a criminal record.
