A Buncrana man who stole a portable pizza oven from a supermarket in the town at the weekend remains in custody.
Damien McDaid appeared before Letterkenny District Court.
An issue over an address, which has not yet been approved by Gardai, means that the 53-year-old is in prison with consent to bail.
McDaid appeared via video link from Castlerea Prison, where the 53-year-old is in custody with consent to bail.
However, an issue over an address, which has not been approved by Gardai, means that he is “trapped by his circumstances”, his solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, said.
Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given to the court by Sergeant Jim Collins.
Mr Dorrian, told the court that his client is “stuck where he is until the guards approve an address”.
Speaking to the court, McDaid said: “I’ve learned my lesson, believe me”.
Mr Dorrian said his client was anxious to deal with the matters and entered guilty pleas in respect of the matters.
Sergeant Collins outlined the case against McDaid to the court.
On May 23, 2026 at 7.58am, Gardai received a call from management at SuperValu, Cockhill Road, Buncrana. They reported that a man took a portable pizza oven, valued at €149.99, from the store.
The portable pizza oven was recovered by staff, but McDaid was said to have been “very abusive” during an interaction with workers.
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McDaid was charged with a theft contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and also with using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned. That charge is contrary to section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 as amended by Section 22 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008
He was also charged in relation to incidents earlier in May.
On May 15, 2026, McDaid entered Gill’s Filling Station and stole cigarettes valued at €19.50. He told someone working in the shop that another person would pay for the cigarettes when they arrived.
On another date, McDaid returned to the same location, took €60 worth of petrol and cigarettes valued at €17.75. Again, he said that someone else would pay for them, but the items were not paid for.
McDaid was found driving a vehicle on May 16, 2026 and Gardai detected that he was not insured. He made admissions to officers that he had no insurance when they spoke to him.
Mr Dorrian said his client’s pattern of behaviour is as a result of him being rendered homeless and he became “ever more desperate, hopeless effectively”.
Mr Dorrian said that McDaid had been sleeping rough and he acquired a motor vehicle which was “effectively his home for a number of days”.
Regarding the incident at SuperValu, Mr Dorrian said there was a “degree of absurdity” to it.
He said: “It was a fruitless activity and didn’t have any basis in reality. It was doomed to fail.
The staff could not but notice what was going on.”
Mr Dorrian said McDaid is “trapped by his circumstances” and added that his client needs some assistance.
Judge Daly told Mr Dorrian that McDaid would be convicted. She said it is a “difficult situation” and asked for a community service assessment to be prepared for McDaid before passing sentence.
The matter was adjourned until June 3.