A young man with a serious drink problem used a wheelie-bin to steal a keg of Guinness that had just been delivered to a pub in Cork early in the morning.

Aaron Babbington of Churchfield Avenue, Churchfield, Cork, is now commencing a four-month jail term for the crime.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing the 30-litre keg of stout.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the keg was one of a number delivered at 6.43am on November 19 2020 to The Corner House on Coburg Street.

“The kegs were left outside the premises, including the 30-litre keg of Guinness which was removed from the delivery. Other kegs had been moved around by Mr Babbington.

“CCTV was examined and he was observed attempting to lift the keg into a wheelie bin by first stacking the kegs on top of one another and then placing the Guinness keg in the wheelie-bin,” Sgt Kelleher said.

The sergeant said Babbington had 103 previous convictions, including two for theft.

For previous thefts he got a community service order and a four-month prison sentence in 2018 and 2020, respectively. He was also convicted of carrying out a robbery in 2016.

Judge Olann Kelleher said he was very familiar with the defendant. He said bench warrants were issuing for the defendant for failing to turn up in court almost on a fortnightly basis.

Michael Quinlan, defence barrister, said the accused had a chronic difficulty with alcohol and was getting medical treatment for this in prison.

Judge Kelleher imposed a four-month jail term on Babbington.