Dundalk court: Pensioner scraped parked vehicles
A 75 year old Carlingford resident caused over €5,000 worth of damage when he used a pebble to scrape along the side of six vehicles parked on the kerb near his home, Dundalk district court heard last week.
John Morgan with an address at Cairlinn, Ghan Road, Carlingford was charged with criminal damage arising out of the incident on July 25th last.
Gardai had received a report shortly after 2pm from an owner who had been alerted by a stranger that their vehicle had been keyed on the passenger side on Ghan Road.
The charges before the court last Wednesday related to two Audis – an A5 and an A6, a Toyota Landcruiser, a Peugeot 2008, a Volvo XC90 and a 16 year old Volkswagen Caddy van.
The court heard a small sharp object had been used and all the vehicles had been slightly parked on the kerb.
Mr. Morgan was arrested after CCTV was viewed and he told gardai he had used a pebble that he had picked up.
The 75 year old had no previous convictions and had €1,395 euro and £3,830 pounds sterling in court to cover the cost of repairs.
The Defence solicitor said his client had become angry because he was walking along the road "and cars were parked where they should not have been".
He added Mr. Morgan was otherwise of impeccable character saying “I wonder if you’d give a 75 year old man a chance".
Judge Cephas Power, noting the defendant was before the court having never been in trouble before, applied the probation act.