A man found with some €12,000 of stolen clothing in his house has been jailed for two years.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that on May 30th, 2019 gardai began an investigation after a break in of North Face Ireland storage depot during which €45,000 worth of merchandise was stolen.
On June 3rd , 2019 gardaí went to the Dublin home of Gerard Carey (43) with a search warrant. During a search they found North Face clothing in the house. Some of the items had been taken out of packing boxes and some other items were lying on the bed with merchandising tags still on.
The wholesale value of the items seized was €12,000 and none of the other merchandise has been recovered, the court heard. A Mini Cooper parked outside the home was also found to have been stolen.
Carey subsequently pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly or recklessly being in possession of stolen property at his home at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght.
Garda Stephen Neylon told the court that Carey’s 70 previous convictions include a number of theft offences. In 2013 he received a partially suspended eight year prison term for armed robbery.
Carey told gardaí that he had no involvement in the burglary of the premises and had just agreed to hold the items in his home, where he lives with his mother.
Phillip Rahn BL, defending, said his client has had drug addiction issues in the past and has made efforts to address these.
Judge Melanie Greally said the value of the stolen items was very significant.
“Even if his self professed role was truthful, he was providing a very valuable facility to persons higher up the hierarchy,” she said.
She noted his addiction issues and suspended the final year of a three year prison term on condition he engage with the Probation Services.