A man who took €1,500 worth of scrap copper he found in a building site skip was ordered to come up with €500 in compensation before Christmas to avoid a conviction.
The court heard how Anthony Kerrigan (18 ) of Kilcruttin, Tullamore, Co Offaly had taken the copper offcuts from the rear of a property being renovated that belonged to Pat Lenihan in Athlone on January 11.
Inspector Nicholas Farrell told the court Mr Lenihan valued the scrap at €1,500 but that Kerrigan had received €500 for it from Tommy Ward’s scrapyard in Mountmellick, Co Laois.
The inspector conveyed Mr Lenihan’s wish that any compensation ordered “be given to charity”.
“He must be a well-off man,” commented Judge Seamus Hughes.
Kerrigan’s solicitor, Mr Mark Cooney, told the court how his client had no previous convictions, and estimated the value of the scrapped copper at just €70, as Kerrigan had also brought two scrapped cars to Wards that day.
Declaring these discrepancies to be “very unsatisfactory”, Judge Hughes demanded that both Mr Ward and Mr Lenihan come to court to clarify this situation.
“Clearly he shouldn’t’ve done it,” said Mr Cooney who went on to explain how his client was hoping to get on a FÁS mechanics course.
Judge Hughes accepted this, and ordered Kerrigan come back to court on December 11 with €500 in compensation.
