A man charged with stealing a pair of tracksuit bottoms from a Donegal Garda Station has had his case struck out after Gardai failed to bring the evidence to court.
Tony Ward appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with theft at Milford Garda Station.
Asked by Judge Eiteain Cunningham if he wished to plead guilty or not guilty, Mr Ward said not guilty as this was just a practical joke.
Garda Quigley told the court that she was the Member in Charge of Milford Garda Station on January 27th, 2022 when Detective Garda Patrick Kelly brought Mr Ward into the station.
He had just left the station after being arrested and released on another matter.
However, Garda Kelly found him in possession of a medium sized grey tracksuit bottom valued at €10, the property of An Garda Siochana.
Garda Quigley said the tracksuit bottoms were taken from the medical room at the station and that Mr Ward, of Muckish Terrace in Creeslough, had no permission to take them.
Starting his cross examination, solicitor for the accused, Mr Frank Dorrian asked Garda Quigley if she had the tracksuit bottoms in court as evidence.
Garda Inspector Tony Byrne said the tracksuit bottoms had not been brought to court and the case was struck out.