Limerick man on trial accused of stealing 10 cars and having them ‘crushed’

THE TRIAL of a Limerick man accused of stealing 10 cars from a motor dealer and having them “crushed”, allegedly for financial gain, begun this Thursday.

Paul Curtin, aged 46, with addresses in Cappamore and Pallasgreen, both in Co Limerick, appeared before Judge Colin Daly, pleading not guilty to 12 charges. These included one count of criminal damage, one count of deception and 10 thefts.

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard that the alleged offences took place on December 20, 2019.

Mr Curtin is accused of causing damage to a steel gate at John Moloney Motors, Ballysimon Road, before allegedly stealing 10 vehicles from the premises.

Judge Colin Daly was informed that during this time period, the owner of the motor dealer, John Moloney, who was then aged in his 70s, was struggling with his health. His daughter, Judy Moloney, was “effectively in charge” and had custody of the cars due to this.

He subsequently passed away in November 2020.

In his opening address, prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State Solicitor for Limerick city, Padraig Mawe, said that the garage “wasn’t doing very much business” but still had several cars stored on the premises.

It was his view that on the morning of December 20, Paul Curtin “came along” and damaged a gate, which was welded as a “security measure” by “cutting through” it. The barrister claimed that the accused then “stole” 10 vehicles, which included several Mercedes-Benz among others, and removed them from the site using a “recovery-type trailer.”

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard that the defendant allegedly brought these cars to a scrap business, where they were “crushed” and received money as a result.

John Moloney’s children, Judy and Gerard, subsequently became aware of the situation and called gardai some hours later.

It is the prosecution’s case that Judy spoke with the accused, who claimed he was “following instructions” allegedly issued by Stephen ‘Bawn’ O’Sullivan, a man who was using part of the garage site to sell used cars.

It was heard that the 10 vehicles in question were essentially “flattened.”

Addressing the jury in relation to the accused man Paul Curtin, John O’Sullivan asked: “What in the name of goodness was he thinking?”

Taking to the stand, Gerard Moloney confirmed he was made aware of the incident and contacted both his sister and gardai. He had no major involvement in his father’s business.

Also addressing the judge, a “motoring enthusiast” who had cars stored at John Moloney Motors informed the court that he attended the scene on this day to visit his vehicles. He noticed that a gate at the Ballysimon Road yard “appeared as though it had been prized open” and that one of his cars was missing.

The elderly man, who said he could not remember the event very well, told the court he “never got it back.”

Representing the accused, barrister Nicholas Hall, instructed by Solicitor Sarah Ryan, asked the witness in cross-examination if any of the other vehicles at the site appeared to be damaged, to which the retired man said they seemed to be in “good nic.”

Mr Hall then told Judge Daly it was going to be his client’s evidence that a number of cars had in fact been damaged, including some having broken windows.

CCTV acquired from the scrap yard where the cars were “crushed” was then played to the jury of six men and six women and appeared to show Mr Curtin in the company of another person bringing multiple vehicles in and leaving the premises without them.

The trial continues before Judge Colin Daly this Friday at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme.