Ex-Limerick minor hurler, haulier and farmer involved in 'unsophisticated' €28k fertiliser heist

A FORMER Limerick minor hurler, a haulier and farmer were all involved in an “unsophisticated” fertiliser heist in County Limerick after its price rocketed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The driver of the lorry carrying 30 tonnes of fertiliser valued at €28,860 told gardai a “colourful” story that he had been hijacked by a man who had a finger missing and pretended he had a gun. 

However, the three accused didn’t know that there was a GPS tracker on the flatbed trailer which led gardai to the location of the stolen pallets of fertiliser in Athlacca, Limerick Criminal Circuit Court heard.

Noel Greaney, aged 40, of John Paul Terrace, Broadford, County Limerick and Chris O'Riordan, aged 31, of Ballinlee, Dromin South, Kilmallock both pleaded guilty to the theft of the trailer from Brosnan Haulage Killarney and fertiliser from Kerry Co-Op, Cahersiveen, County Kerry on March 22, 2022.

Joe Power, aged 28, of Crean, Athlacca, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the storage of fertiliser and trailer on farmland at Crean, Athlacca with the intention of impeding a garda investigation. 

Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by Brendan Gill, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Detective Sergeant Michael Reidy.

Ms Buckley said Mr Greaney attended Newcastle West garda station on March 22, 2022 and told gardai he had been hijacked.

“He said he has been driving an artic lorry with a consignment of fertiliser destined for Cahersiveen. He said he had been taking a rest period in Barna when a man approached the passenger side who was wearing a face mask, was missing a middle finger and had a black rag wrapped around his hand in the shape of a gun,” said Ms Buckley.

Det Sgt Reidy said Mr Greaney told gardai he was effectively thrown out of the truck at Snow’s Cross, Ballingarry after his phone and wallet containing his driving licence was stolen.

The detective sergeant said Mr Greaney told them he laid in a field for an hour and a half before flagging down a car to bring him to the garda station.

Det Sgt Reidy said garda immediately had suspicions due to Mr Greaney’s “demeanour” and when they checked CCTV he had been dropped to the station by Mr O’Riordan and not a passer-by. Det Sgt Reidy said phonetic evidence showed 23 calls or attempted calls between Mr O’Riordan and Mr Greaney which shows they were “working together”.

The detective sergeant said they found a text message on Mr Power’s phone which read: “Warn PAN to keep his mouth shut” with PAN being a nickname for Mr O’Riordan.

Det Sgt Reidy said they checked the field beside Snow’s Cross where Mr Greaney said he lay in the grass for an hour and a half but the grass wasn’t trampled. Gardai found Mr Greaney’s wallet containing his driving licence and phone, which he had said the “hijacker” stole, during a search of his home.

The court heard Detective Garda Patrick Lee located the flatbed trailer and fertiliser at Power’s address with the help of the GPS tracker but the truck cab, valued at €45,000, was not there and hasn’t been recovered. The truck cab was being leased by Brosnan Haulage Killarney. 

Mr Greaney has 16 previous convictions, Mr O’Riordan has five and Mr Power has 37.

Diarmuid Brosnan, in a victim impact statement, said his small family-run haulage company suffered “reputational damage” and lost the contract with Kerry Co-Op for the delivery of fertiliser in the Munster region. 

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Mark Nicholas SC, who represented Mr Greaney, said the thefts were poorly executed but very well investigated by gardai.

“The root of things for Mr Greaney was his drug addiction and drug debt. It is the grey murky world we live in and they put pressure on. These people don’t write solicitor letters.

“He is a seasoned hard worker. He has dealt with his addiction,” said Mr Nicholas, who asked Judge Sinead McMullan not to impose a custodial sentence. Judge McMullan said it was an “awful breach of his employer’s trust”.

Kenneth Kerins BL, for Mr O’Riordan, said his client comes from a very decent family and very hard-working family.

“As a young man he hurled for his county. He suffered a significant injury in a hurling match in Rathkeale and would never play hurling again. This had a significant impact on him. This very positive outlet was lost and he found himself using alcohol and substances. He worked as a blocklayer throughout this. There are green shoots of recovery,” said Mr Kerins.

Andrew Sexton SC, for Mr Power, said his client has ADHD and is fairly easily-led.

“It wasn’t the most sophisticated crime to get involved in. It brought great shame on Mr Power’s family who are a very respectable family.

"He is attempting to turn things around. He is concentrating on farming. He has his grandfather to assist,” said Mr Sexton.

Judge McMullan adjourned sentencing to this Friday to consider matters.