Dublin Bus mechanic caught stealing diesel and handing it over to roadside motorist
Eugene Nolan (30) was one of several workers charged
A DUBLIN bus mechanic was caught stealing diesel from the company's vehicles and handing stolen fuel over to a motorist on a roadside.
Eugene Nolan (30) was one of several workers charged after surveillance cameras at a city depot revealed that they were siphoning off fuel from buses.
Adjourning the case for a restorative justice report, Judge Treasa Kelly said it was a 'complete breach of trust' to steal from an employer.
Nolan, a father-of-two from Rathleash in Portarlington, Co Laois admitted handling €110 worth of stolen diesel at Killeen Road, Dublin 12 on June 10 last year.
He also pleaded guilty to three thefts of fuel at the Conyngham Road bus depot, on July 4, 8 and 9 last year, totalling €772.
Dublin District Court heard a bus inspector was driving on Killeen Road when he saw a bus parked at the side of the road and a plastic drum.
He became suspicious and CCTV showed the accused driving it from the garage before meeting a Mercedes car.
Nolan took three plastic barrels from the bus containing 75l of diesel worth €110 and handed them over to the driver of the Mercedes, who filled his car.
Dublin Bus undertook an internal investigation into fuel theft at the depot, the court heard. A private investigation company was hired to carry out covert CCTV surveillance between July 4 and 11.
Three people were seen siphoning diesel from buses and on three dates, Nolan loaded barrels into his car.
Eugene Nolan
News in 90 Seconds - May 28th
A number of co-accused had since been before the court over the thefts and Nolan was one of the first to be caught, his solicitor Paddy McGarry said. It 'became known to Dublin Bus that it was something that was ongoing,' he said.
Nolan had been working at the company for 12 years and lost his job as a result of the thefts.
He had a cocaine problem at the time but was now clean, Mr McGarry said. His only prior offence was holding a mobile phone while driving and Mr McGarry asking the judge not to convict Nolan of the thefts. He brought €800 in compensation to court.
Judge Kelly noted the accused had already paid a high price for his actions. She was not sure that she could leave him without convictions but deferred finalising the case and ordered a restorative justice report.
Nolan was remanded on continuing bail to appear in court again on July 14.
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