Two bread salesmen succumbed to "stupid greed" and defrauded a supermarket owner of tens of thousands of pounds by charging for loaves that were never delivered, a court was told yesterday.
Patrick Moran of Copplecurragh, Charlestown, Co Mayo, created the "scam" which was continued by Padraig Kennedy, Bellaghy, Charlestown, after he purchased the delivery run from Moran in 1998.
Moran (43), and Kennedy (38), pleaded guilty at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court to defrauding John Duffy of the Londis Supermarket, Main Street, Ballaghaderreen.
Moran, a father of two, pleaded guilty to 16 charges of obtaining money by false pretences from Mr Duffy between January 1995 and August 1998. Kennedy pleaded guilty to 24 similar charges between 1998 and 2001.
Judge Anthony Kennedy was told that Kennedy had since paid £58,000 (€73,660) compensation to Mr Duffy, while Moran had paid £17,380 (€22,000).
After hearing the evidence, Judge Kennedy imposed jail terms on both defendants.
He sentenced Moran to three years in prison on each of the 16 charges, the sentences to run concurrently. The judge sentenced Kennedy to two years in prison on each of the 24 charges to which he pleaded guilty, the sentences to run concurrently.
The judge suspended the prison sentences on both defendants on condition that neither reoffend and remain law-abiding for three-year and two-year periods respectively. The court heard Moran had a been a friend of Mr John Duffy, the supermarket owner.