A KERRY man stole a dinghy and two kayaks in Rosscarbery and also broke into an ESB substation where he stole rope to tie the boats on the roof of his van.

John Paul Pardy Lynch of apt 13, Cuirt na Rí, Cork Road, Killarney pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and three counts of theft from incidents arising in 2019.

Sgt Paul Kelly told the court that on July 24th 2019 gardaí were made aware that property was stolen from Mill Cove pier.

‘Shortly afterwards gardaí stopped a vehicle driven by the defendant and found a Zodiac dinghy, valued at €500, and two kayaks valued at €200 each on the roof of his van,’ said Sgt Kelly.

‘Gardaí suspected the items were stolen and the defendant was arrested and brought to Clonakilty Garda Station where he admitted the thefts.’

The court heard all the property was identified and returned to its owners.

Sgt Kelly said that on the same date an ESB substation at Rosscarbery was broken into and the only item stolen was rope.

‘When gardaí stopped the defendant they found the rope in the back of a van and it was used to tie the dinghy and kayaks on the roof.’

Following a forensic examination at the substation, the defendant’s fingerprints were found at the location and the total damage came to €200.

The court heard that defendant has 49 previous convictions which include theft, robbery, trespass and unlawful taking.

Solicitor Conrad Murphy said that since that incident his client hasn’t come to the attention of gardaí and said that between 2009 and 2011 there was a pattern of a serious amount of offending, then there was a break and some more incidents in 2018.

‘He now has a new partner and they have an eight-month-old daughter. He is about to start work soon and he has made an appointment to see a psychiatrist,’ said Mr Murphy.

The defendant’s father, John Paul, took to the witness box to plead for his son.

Judge Colm Roberts said that the defendant has a ‘dismal’ record but because he has pleaded guilty, has committed no offences since and has now changed circumstances, he handed him down a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years.

‘If he does anything in the next two years he will be spending a significant time in prison,’ warned Judge Roberts.