Dundalk man thought he was 'getting the bargain of a lifetime' with €20 TV

A Defence barrister told Dundalk district court last week that his client had thought he was “getting the bargain of a lifetime” when an old school friend sold him a TV for €20 but the 23 year old was subsequently prosecuted for handling stolen property, after it was established the television had been taken from a house.

The court heard how gardai received a call about a TV being stolen from a house, shortly after 7.30pm on August 13th last year and a report of a person seen running with one.

Aaron Kelly with an address at Carrickedmond, Dundalk was found in Aisling Park, sitting in a car, with the Nordmende television in the boot.

The Defence barrister told the court the Gardaí were satisfied his client was not the person who stole the TV, and explained that a friend of his from school had told him he needed money and had sold it to him for €20.

The counsel added the defendant accepted that he was reckless but said he thought he was getting the bargain of a lifetime and was 'extremely naive in that regard'.

After the court heard Mr. Kelly is ‘in the employment of the State’ and has a career in front of him, Judge Eirinn McKiernan applied the Probation Act on €350 being paid to the Turas Counselling Service.