A 23-year-old man has been jailed for attempting to swindle luxury BMWs worth €164,000 from car dealerships in Cork and Wicklow.
Callum Kearney, posing as a prospective buyer, used photoshopped images resembling bank transfer confirmations to deceive dealers. He received a three-year prison sentence, with 21 months suspended.
Already serving time for similar offences, Kearney pleaded guilty to theft and attempted theft at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. Detective Garda Mark O’Riordain detailed how Kearney targeted Ashford Motors in Wicklow, offering fake evidence of payments for two BMWs worth €89,950 and €54,950. Days later, he took a €28,950 BMW from a Cork dealership during a test drive and never returned it.
The stolen car, with fake plates, was found in Mullingar, where Kearney was arrested. He admitted his crimes, revealing he had buyers for the vehicles’ parts.
The court heard he had 41 previous convictions and a history of ADHD and autism. Despite his criminal past, Kearney had engaged in forensic psychological counseling and aspired to become a paramedic.
The judge, acknowledging Kearney’s challenging background and rehabilitation efforts, suspended part of his sentence on the condition that he refrains from further crime and continues therapy.