Arrest warrant issued after wrong man appears in Tullamore District Court

A man who appeared before Tullamore District Court was told he was free to go after it was confirmed that he was not the individual summonsed for stealing motor fuel from a filling station.

According to a summons, Thomas Sweeney, aged 43 and with an address at Racecourse Hill, Clifden, Co Galway, is alleged to have stolen fuel at Centra, Tullamore Road, Kilbeggan on December 17, 2023.

When the case was called a barrister, Paul Noctor, told the District Court that his colleague David Nugent was representing the accused.

Judge Andrew Cody said a plea of guilty had been previously entered but the man before the court said he had not pleaded guilty.

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The case was let stand for a period and when it was recalled Mr Noctor said it involved the payment of €108 in compensation but the man in court said he had not been responsible. Instead, it was his understanding that he was to be in court in relation to a public order matter.

The man before the court said he had not been in court on January 21 last when a plea of guilty to the theft was entered.

He added, however, that he had been in court in Tullamore before Christmas in relation to an alleged public order offence.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns said the offence before the court was one where €108 worth of fuel had been put in a vehicle and the person left without paying. That person, Thomas Sweeney, was identified on CCTV.

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The man before the court said he was Thomas Sweeney but he had an address in Mayo and a date of birth in 1999. He said he did not know a Thomas Sweeney in Clifden.

Judge Cody then issued a bench warrant for Thomas Sweeney of Racecourse Hill, Clifden.

Sergeant Kearns said he did not know how the other Thomas Sweeney came to be in court but the man himself said his solicitor had told him to be there.

“You're free to go,” Judge Cody told him.