A Letterkenny teenager who took a car from a busy car park and later abandoned it has been jailed.
Sam Orr, who has 89 previous convictions, took a car key from the changing rooms of Letterkenny Community Centre on January 14, 2025 and subsequently took possession of a silver Seat Leon.
The 19-year-old was brought before Letterkenny District Court from Castlerea Prison, where he is in custody.
He was charged with a burglary at Letterkenny Community Centre, contrary to section 12 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001 and with the unauthorised taking of a car, a silver Seat Leon, from Letterkenny Community Centre car park, a charge contrary to section 112 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961.
Orr was alleged to have entered the changing rooms while local football teams were training outside and took a car key at around 9pm. In the car park, Orr took possession of the silver Seat Leon and left in the direction of Letterkenny Retail Park.
The car was later found abandoned and with the number plates removed at Corravaddy.
Orr pleaded guilty to the charges.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the incident was captured on CCTV. Sergeant Collins said that Orr was cooperative after his arrest and aided the recovery of the vehicle.
An iPhone 15, which was in the car, was discarded on a road near the dual carriageway and recovered, while a wallet was also located close to the Clanree Hotel, having also been tossed from the vehicle.
Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for Orr, said his client pleaded guilty at an early stage. Mr O’Brien said Orr has been in custody now for a “considerable time”.
“He cooperated fully and he admitted his role and wrongdoing at a very early stage,” Mr O’Brien said.
Mr O’Brien told the court that Orr has “availed well” of his time in Castlerea and has been attempting to re-educated and work on his addiction issue, which he said is the “root cause” of his difficulty.
“He is in a full time relationship and is trying to put matters behind him once and for all,” Mr O’Brien said.
He added that Orr has a “decision to make” and that spending most of his time in prison “is not a road he wants to go down”.
At a previous court sitting on the incident, Orr took to the witness box and said he has been “spending time with my missus” and “keeping the head down” since being released from custody in October.
“I even thought I was doing so well myself,” Orr said. He told Judge Alan Mitchell on that occasion that he is addicted to cocaine and takes the drug “a lot”.
Passing sentence, Judge Ciaran Liddy sentenced Orr to nine months in prison on the burglary charge with the last three months suspended for one year on condition that he be of good behaviour. Orr was also ordered to stay out of Letterkenny Community Centre.
Judge Liddy noted that Orr is to be given for time already served in custody.
The unauthorised taking of a car charge was marked as taken into consideration by Judge Liddy.