A man has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for his role in the theft of e-bikes from a Dublin city centre store last year. Though seven bikes, valued at approximately €20,000 were stolen, the court heard the thefts took place over several hours and a number of people were involved.
Daniel Kearney (37) was one of those involved, though he said he had no memory of the robbery. He has now been jailed for two years and eight months, with the final eight months suspended.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Kearney, of no fixed address, was pleading guilty to burglary and also had 13 previous convictions. These included for assault and criminal damage, among other crimes.
Kearney was one of a number of people who broke into the Bleeper e-bikes stores in central Dublin at different times over a three hour period in the early hours of July 19th last.
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Seven bikes, with a combined value of just over €20,000, were taken and only one was later recovered.
Kearney was accused of taking two of the bikes, with a value of €7,300, and neither of the bikes he took was ever found. The shop the bikes were stolen from was damaged, with a glass door broken and shutters also damaged.
Business owner Hugh Cooney said the robbery had a significant impact on him professionally and personally and he urged the court to take the crime seriously.
The court was told Kearney had a history of drug use and homelessness and had no memory of his role in the theft of the bikes. However, having been in custody since his arrest last year, he was now drug-free and hoped to work as a chef on his release from jail.
Judge Orla Crowe suspended the final eight months of his sentence and backdated his two-year term to last July, when he first went into custody.
