A man who stole car keys from his teacher and then took her car “for a spin”, was before Belmullet District Court on Wednesday.
Inspector Joe McKenna outlined that on November 5 2009, Mary Healy-Carter reported to gardaí that her car was stolen. Gardaí investigated the matter and it was discovered that one of her pupils at FreshStart, Pat McGrath, Flat 2, Broadhaven House, Belmullet, had taken her car keys from her possession the previous day. McGrath then waited until the following day to take the car from outside the teacher’s home. The defendant drove the car to Glencastle and then parked it at Shore Road. McGrath then hid the keys in his rented accommodation.
The court heard that this was not the first time that the defendant had unlawfully taken cars.
Samantha Geraghty who defended McGrath said that her client, who attends a psychiatrist, had not taken his medication at the time and was drinking.
Judge Seamus Hughes said that McGrath’s actions were “premeditated” and said to the defendant to have €750 in court with him on July 14, on which date the judge will finalise matters.
