Dáire Lynch (24), of Stannaway Road, Crumlin, appeared at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing, after pleading guilty to one count of possession of stolen property.
In his evidence, counsel for the prosecution, James Kelly BL, stated that on November 6, 2024, at the Arklow Bay Hotel, Mr Lynch and his co-defendant were seen entering the hotel car park on a stolen motorcycle. Mr Lynch’s co-accused is currently awaiting a psychological evaluation, with Mr Kelly telling the court he will answer for his role at a later date.
The court heard that on the morning in question, gardaí were summoned by hotel staff after an incident had taken place. While at the scene, gardaí noticed that the bike had an emulator plugged into it. An emulator is an electronic device used by thieves to bypass a motorcycle’s ignition system, allowing the bike to be started without a key.
A photograph of the bike was shown in court, and it was described as a high-powered Yamaha motorcycle.
Mr Lynch was tracked down to the Bridgewater Shopping Centre, where he was arrested and brought to Arklow Garda Station. During interview, he initially gave a false name, though gardaí eventually established his correct identity following further questioning.
The motorbike had been stolen from Lucan, Co Dublin, on September 3, 2024.
During cross-examination, Eoghan Gallagher BL, barrister for the accused, noted that Lynch is not accused of stealing the bike, but only of possessing it.
The defendant is currently serving a sentence for an assault on a man in Co Wexford, for which he received three and a half years. He is due for release on March 18, 2027.
Some background about Mr Lynch was provided by the defence, with the court hearing that Lynch was abused as a child by an uncle and his stepfather, and that he never came into the care of the state.
The court also heard that Mr Lynch turned to drugs at age 12 due to the daily beatings he received.
Mr Lynch said he did not want this to be used as an excuse, but only to provide context. He has since taken steps to address his issues while in custody, and his girlfriend, who has stood by him during his prison sentence, was present in court.
Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced the defendant to 12 months’ imprisonment, to run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving. He commented that “it is good to see him waking up and getting to the cause of his offending.”
A destruction order for the emulator was not granted
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