Two brothers from Belturbet, County Cavan, admitted stealing more than €8,000 while working behind a charity bar at a Dublin music festival. John McGinley, 25, pleaded guilty to taking €5,275 and his younger brother Conal McGinley, 22, admitted taking €3,370 from the Workers Beer Company operation at Marlay Park on 8 July 2016.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Workers Beer Company raises funds through bars at music festivals. Gardaí observing the first day of the three-day event saw the brothers putting cash into their pockets rather than into the charity collection. When the pair were arrested that evening, money was found in their clothing, footwear and vehicle. John McGinley had €4,145 on him and €1,130 in his car. Conal McGinley had €1,860 on him, with further cash recovered from the vehicle.
Both brothers pleaded guilty to one count of theft and made immediate admissions in interviews with gardaí. The court heard that they had no previous convictions. Their address was given as Naughan, Belturbet, Co Cavan.
John McGinley had held a job at a London financial firm. Defence counsel said he had fallen into debt while gambling in the UK and had become indebted to loan sharks. The defence described the theft as a desperate attempt to raise money towards that debt. The court also heard that he had left his London job, returned to Ireland and attended Gambling Anonymous.
Conal McGinley was in the final year of a business degree. His counsel said he had acted to help his brother, but that the case had put his future career at risk. A letter from the brothers' father was handed to the court. Judge Cormac Quinn remanded both men on bail for sentencing on 14 June. They were later ordered to complete 180 hours of community service each.
This LocalNews report is an original account based on the contemporaneous Courts News Ireland court report.