'Crazy act': Man who stole €12.5k over four years from employer at Cork motor factors avoids jail

A 40-year-old man who breached the trust of a family business where he was employed for 14 years was given a 20-month suspended sentence for the "crazy act” of stealing €12,500 through 196 separate thefts carried out over four years.

Alan Mitchell pleaded guilty to sample charges from an indictment where there were 196 charges of theft from his former employer at a motor factors amounting to €12,500. 

He paid back the money in full.

Judge Colin Daly said, “These thefts were carried out over a prolonged period of time. He was employed for 14 years in this small family business and was treated like a member of the family. The breach of trust must be considered to be high.” 

Defence barrister Alan O’Dwyer said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Alan Mitchell, of 15 Fairhill Drive, Cork, had just handed paid back the compensation in full.

The defendant was suspended on full pay for ten weeks and ultimately resigned and took up alternative employment.

Judge Daly was told that his previous employer was upset that about the issue of paying the accused during the period of suspension. But Mr O’Dwyer said the accused had now paid back over €5,000 in respect of that payment to him as well as the €12,500 which he stole.

Detective Garda Alan Johnson investigated the case relating to thefts which occurred between August 2018 and May 2022 at City View Wheels, motor factors, Nicholas Well Lane, Cork.

Each charge referred to stealing in the course of card refund transactions to his employer.

Mr O’Dwyer said on behalf of Mr Mitchell, “He is exceptionally remorseful. There was no sophistication in the thefts. He used his own bank account and there was an air of inevitability about being caught. There was no reason for the thefts other that opportunism and helping with paying bills.

“It was a crazy act to engage in over a four-year period. He is remorseful for his actions and has had the loss of a job with employers who were more friends than anything else.”