Man jailed by Kildare court for stealing two car license plates

A man involved in a theft of car number plates has been jailed for eight months.

At Kilcock District Court on February 20, John Doran, with an address at Curragh Quigley, Dowra, Cavan, was convicted of stealing a car registration number plate, valued at €20, from a car at Curryhills, Prosperous, on August 24, 2015.

He also got a concurrent eight month sentence for stealing another on August 4, 2015. “Why steal a number plate? It is sinister,” asked Judge Desmond Zaidan, when told of the charges.

The court was told  by Sarah Connolly BL, representing Mr Doran (31),  who has 24 previous convictions, that he was asked to take the four number plates from two cars by others.

She also said that Mr Doran was drinking around the time of the offences.

Judge Zaidan said this crime had a “significant role in further criminal activities”.

“You have to be punished,” said the judge to the defendant. “It is not just for the number plates and €20 but for what follows that.”