Two delivery men bringing kegs of beer to a pub stole up to €34,000 over a two year period from a cupboard on the premises
Cork Circuit Criminal court heard that the thefts continued until they were caught red handed when CCTV was installed onsite
When the sentencing of 51 year old Paul Morey and 47 year old Paul O'Callaghan got underway Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin, having heard previous evidence in the case, asked if the defendants were the men "who stole so much we don't know how much they stole."
The court heard that Paul Morey of Willow Gardens, Glanmire, and Paul O'Callaghan of Orrery Road in Gurranabraher, stole from the Skibbereen Eagle pub in Tragumna, Skibbereen for two years between November 2017 and October 2019. They men pleaded guilty to stealing cash on various dates over that period.
The men had to plead guilty to sample counts of theft as it was impossible to establish how much they had stolen from the premises.
The accountant for the pub examined turnover and profit figures and estimated that over the course of two years €34,000 had been taken from the cupboard.
The men have paid back a total of €12,000 in compensation between them.
Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin said the level of dishonesty and breach of trust was "despicable." He warned that the men were set to go to jail if they didn't make "an honest effort at reparation."
The case was adjourned until February 24th, 2022 to allow the men to raise further compensation. They were released on bail until their next court appearance.
