Man came to Ireland for the ‘sole purpose of committing crime’, Limerick court hears

A ROMANIAN man who gardaí allege came into the country for the “sole purpose of committing crime” by targeting elderly women in supermarkets has been refused bail at a vacation sitting of Limerick District Court.

Marius Caldare, aged 53, of no fixed abode, is charged with 32 counts of theft and appeared before Judge Andrew Gubbins this Wednesday via video-link from Limerick Prison.

Previously, gardaí have alleged the accused man is one of a number of persons involved in crimes around the country, including Limerick, in which nine women have had almost €30,000 stolen from them between February 25 and May 12 of this year.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment at the next sitting of Limerick Circuit Court. Mr Caldare is in custody on all matters and his Barrister, Joseph McMahon, made a bail application on behalf of his client.

Objecting to this, Garda Elizabeth Danaher, of Henry Street garda station, said it was her belief that if bail was to be granted, the Romanian national would continue to commit further serious crimes and not turn up for court hearings. It was her view that a custodial sentence is likely to be imposed if convicted.

The alleged offences took place in counties Limerick, Meath, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Offaly. There are nine complainants in the case, five of whom are over 70-years-old.

Garda Danaher told Limerick District Court that in many of these incidents, Mr Caldare is seen clearly on CCTV making bank transactions with debit cards that were reported as stolen.

He is accused of targeting two separate women in Dunnes Stores, located in the Jetland Shopping Centre, Ennis Road, on March 4.

It is alleged that Marius Caldare is one of many people involved in these offences, where nine women had €26,824.88 in total stolen from them.

Garda Danaher informed Judge Gubbins that these offences had a “devastating effect financially and especially emotionally” on the complainants. She said Mr Caldare poses a “significant flight-risk", is not working and believes he came to the country with the “sole purpose of committing crime” before leaving again to “reduce the likelihood of apprehension.” She confirmed to the judge that there are no possible bail conditions which could satisfy the state.

Barrister Joseph McMahon put to the garda that his client does not have a bench warrant history in this jurisdiction and that there is no evidence of Mr Caldare committing offences while on bail previously. He said that the Romanian native identified an address in Meath which he could reside at if granted bail.

However, Garda Danaher informed Mr McMahon that this house was subsequently checked out by gardaí and deemed unsuitable for Mr Caldare. She told Limerick District Court that this premises was a two-bedroom council home with six occupants currently living in it. She said when the landlord was questioned about the defendant, he appeared to not know much about him, including his surname.

A €5,000 independent surety was proposed on behalf of Mr Caldare by an unidentified assurer. It is gardaí’s belief that these funds could potentially be the proceeds of crime but that regardless, their concerns would not be alleviated by this sum.

Taking all facts into consideration, Judge Andrew Gubbins said that these offences are “organised and sophisticated” thefts and that the accused has “shown an ability to come in and out of the jurisdiction” which makes him the “very definition of a flight-risk.” Judge Gubbins said the offences are "consistent" and that there appears to be an “m-o” of targeting elderly, vulnerable women.

He refused Mr Caldare’s bail application and also heard that the book of evidence is still outstanding. Judge Gubbins remanded the defendant in custody where he will next appear before Limerick District Court on September 8.

Enquiries are now being made with Interpol to establish when Marius Caldare entered the country.

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