A Dublin man who paid £100 for a U2 drum kit and harmonicas - which had been stolen from a recording studio - has received an 18-month suspended sentence.
James Maughan (37), married with four children, from Bride Close, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling stolen property on June 6th, 2000.
Garda Niall Bambrick told Mr Robert Barron, prosecuting, that the equipment - including Larry Mullen's Yamaha American Showboat Pedal Steel drum kit and 81 harmonicas - was stolen from the Hanover Quay recording studios over the June Bank Holiday weekend in 2000.
It was worth £6,295, and Maughan bought it for £100, planning to sell the harmonicas on for £1 each. Garda Bambrick said the band threw the harmonicas into the audience during live concerts.
Garda Bambrick said gardaí received a phone call that the equipment was in Maughan's garage and he was arrested following a search.
Maughan admitted buying the items but claimed he did not know they were stolen or were worth in excess of £6,000. He also claimed he did not know the value of the goods, or that they belonged to the rock group.
Garda Bambrick agreed the naivety shown by Maughan in buying the valuable items for so little suggested it was not the work of a serious criminal mind despite his five previous convictions, none of which were for handling stolen goods.
Judge Dunne said it was clear that Maughan had "bitten off more than he could chew" and showed signs of stupidity in his actions.
She said would impose a non-custodial sentence because all the property was recovered and Mr Maughan was fully co-operative with the gardaí.