A computer operator who helped to steal nearly £250,000 of Microsoft software from his employers has been jailed for five years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Michael Moore (24), of Whitestown Park, Blakestown, Dublin, pleaded guilty to the theft of Windows 95 software from Meadows Freight Ltd, Clonee, Co Meath, on three different dates in 1996 and 1997. Det Garda Ian Ferris told the court at an earlier hearing that Moore had third-level qualifications in applied biology and computers.
While working for Meadows Freight he became friendly with one of the company's drivers, Derek Bailey, who was known to gardai as a career criminal. Moore was "extremely silly" to agree to help Bailey and four others to steal software from the depot. He falsified records of stock for the gang, but it was difficult to see how he expected to get away with it because he signed his own name to them.
On the first occasion in December 1996, the gang took away £70,000 of software. One month later they made away with software worth £43,568. A third consignment worth £123,577 was taken to England and stored in Bethnal Green in London.
When gardai questioned Moore about the thefts he was very co-operative and offered to take them to Meadows Freight to show them how the software was taken. He printed out storage records on his computer and explained how they were falsified.
Judge Frank O'Donnell said he realised Moore, the youngest of the offenders, had been prevailed upon by hardened and experienced criminals. Nevertheless, he was a main participant and the crime would not have been committed without him.
He suspended the last 3 1/2 years of the sentence.