logo
Dad-of-four stole over €4,000 of Lego to feed drug habit

Dad-of-four stole over €4,000 of Lego to feed drug habit

Sunday World27-04-2025

After hearing Peter Stewart had been given a 12-month sentence for similar offending last week
Peter Stewart, pictured previously, answering his door to our reporter
A father-of-four who stole more than €4,000 of Lego to feed his drug habit has been handed an eight month-jail sentence.
After hearing Peter Stewart had been given a 12-month sentence for similar offending last week, and was due for release in October, District Judge Mark Hamill ordered that his new jail term 'start today'.
Stewart, from Finvoy Street in Belfast, entered guilty pleas to 12 charges theft and one of attempted theft, committed on dates between August 30 and October 24, 2023.
A previous hearing was told he stole the Lego from branches of Tesco, B&M Bargains and Smyths Toys.
Stewart, who appeared in court on Wednesday by video-link from prison, was identified from CCTV footage.
Defence counsel Stuart Magee said his client had stolen the high-value items to feed his drug addiction.
Imposing the eight-month sentence, District Judge Mark Hamill warned Stewart he could expect a harsher sentence if he kept offending.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Two bunches of flowers lie outside Fairgreen Shopping Centre following ‘terrible' fatal shooting
Two bunches of flowers lie outside Fairgreen Shopping Centre following ‘terrible' fatal shooting

Irish Times

time3 days ago

  • Irish Times

Two bunches of flowers lie outside Fairgreen Shopping Centre following ‘terrible' fatal shooting

The marks of a concentrated number of shots can be seen in the 'o' of the Tesco sign at Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Co Carlow. Outside the premises, two bunches of flowers have been laid close to where gunman Evan Fitzgerald died on Sunday evening. The busy centre was the scene of chaos and fear, when at 6.15pm, as shoppers filled their trolleys for the week ahead, the 22-year-old, from Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, entered carrying a shotgun. He discharged shots into the air a number of times, causing shoppers to flea. Outside the building, he fatally wounded himself after being challenged by gardaí. No one else was shot during the incident. On Wednesday, Geraldine Nolan (64), who regularly shops at the Tesco, sat in a coffee shop in the centre with her five-month-old grandson on her lap. READ MORE [ Carlow gunman Evan Fitzgerald had bail conditions relaxed prior to trial date Opens in new window ] She was 'shocked' by the 'terrible' events that occurred here days earlier, she says. She is mindful of the effect witnessing the shooting will have on people working in the centre at the time and glad workers and customers were not seriously injured. Her thoughts too are with the deceased, she said, : 'It's hard on his family too.' Her daughter Vanessa (33) is also coming to terms with the shock what occurred in their locality. 'You don't expect something like that to happen in a small town. It's not something that's normalised,' she says. John Brophy, manager of the centre, says uncertainty pervaded in the aftermath of the shooting and it was 'very hard to know what was going on'. However, gardaí, fire services and bomb squad were 'exemplary in the way they conducted themselves over the couple of days', he says. At the time of the incident, Tesco was the only shop still open in the centre, he says. [ Carlow gunman Evan Fitzgerald (22) had 'a fascination with firearms' Opens in new window ] He is mindful that security staff, Tesco employees and customers witnessed the shooting. The deceased young man and his family are also in his thoughts, and he is keen that they are 'respected', he says. Counselling is being provided to the Tesco employees and the centre's security staff. In Carlow town's Primary Care Centre, the Health Service (HSE) has implemented a counselling service for the public to avail of in the aftermath of the event. A HSE representative said the service has been 'busy'.

Shoplifting pals handed themselves in after being featured on ‘Crimecall' stealing €1.6k groceries
Shoplifting pals handed themselves in after being featured on ‘Crimecall' stealing €1.6k groceries

Sunday World

time3 days ago

  • Sunday World

Shoplifting pals handed themselves in after being featured on ‘Crimecall' stealing €1.6k groceries

Caroline Collins (27) and Nellie Collins (29) filled a shopping trolley with goods and walked out of a Tesco without paying, a court heard Two friends who stole €1,600 worth of groceries from a supermarket handed themselves in to gardaí when they saw the theft featured on RTÉ's Crimecall. Caroline Collins (27) and Nellie Collins (29) filled a shopping trolley with goods and walked out of a Tesco without paying, a court heard. Judge Aine Clancy said she would spare them criminal convictions if they paid compensation to the shop. The accused, both with addresses at Cara Park, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court to theft. Garda Sergeant Maria Callaghan said the accused entered a Tesco in Adamstown, Lucan, on January 3, 2024, put €1,600 worth of assorted groceries into a trolley and then passed all points of payment. The incident was captured on camera and subsequently featured on RTÉ's Crimecall programme, Sgt Callaghan said. Nellie Collins, charged with theft. The pair handed themselves in to Coolock garda station, where they were arrested and charged but the property was not recovered. Caroline Collins, who was from a Traveller background, was having difficulties at the time and was 'racking up debts', her solicitor Simon Fleming said. She had since got a job and was now working as a ­healthcare assistant after getting a diploma, the court heard. 'She came forward when she saw the photos' on Crimecall, Mr Fleming said. Caroline Collins would lose her employment if a conviction was recorded against her, he said, asking the judge for leniency. The court heard the circumstances were similar for the co-accused, Nellie Collins. Judge Clancy asked if the accused were related to each other and Mr Fleming said the two women were friends. The judge said it was a 'very serious theft' and said the quantity of groceries taken was 'a lot' but she would strike the case out, leaving both accused without criminal records if they made 'full restitution' of the €1,600 between them. However, she said she would convict them and fine them €800 each in default. The accused were remanded on continuing bail to appear in court again on a date in November. The court heard free legal aid had been granted. Caroline Collins, charged with theft. News in 90 June 4th

Post-mortem to be carried out later on body of Carlow gunman
Post-mortem to be carried out later on body of Carlow gunman

The Journal

time4 days ago

  • The Journal

Post-mortem to be carried out later on body of Carlow gunman

A POST-MORTEM examination will be carried out later on the 22-year-old man who died in a shooting incident in Carlow on Sunday. The body of Evan Fitzgerald was removed from the scene of Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow yesterday and taken to the mortuary in Dublin ahead of today's post-mortem by the State Pathologist. A technical examination of the car park scene has finished but the scene remains held and the Fairgreen Shopping Centre remains closed. Yesterday, gardaí began releasing cars from the Shopping Centre car park and access is only granted to people who left a vehicle there. The scene of the fatality outside the Tesco store was also declared safe yesterday after an examination by Irish army explosives officers. Gardaí had called the bomb disposal experts to the scene after observing a bottle containing an unknown substance on the body of the dead man. Advertisement Gardaí were alerted to the shooting incident in Carlow at around 6.15pm on Sunday, 1 June. Fitzgerald, originally from Portrushen Upper near Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, was killed by his own firearm and no shots were fired by gardaí. No one else was injured by any of the shots fired, though a young girl sustained a minor leg injury when she fell while running from the centre. Fitzgerald had been on bail for serious firearms offences and was before the courts last year when he was charged with offences associated with an assault rifle he bought on the dark web. He was arrested last year in Co Kildare by specialist gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, who were assisted by armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit. He was set to hear a date for his trial, having appeared before court again last month. At a previous hearing last year, where Fitzgerald was granted bail with strict conditions, the court was told he had a 'fascination' with firearms but that the interest was more of a hobby rather than a 'nefarious' one. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store