Courts / Dublin / Report

Bin-man who got drunk and 'played dodgems' with lorries, causing €175k in damage, avoids jail

Summary

In January 2023, Marian Calderas, a 39‑year‑old bin‑man employed by Key Waste Management Ltd, was found intoxicated at work on the Greenhills Road, Tallaght. After colleagues discovered he was drinking alcohol, they escorted him to the canteen where he slept. CCTV later showed Calderas, at 2.25 am, using a code to access a bin‑lorry room, then driving a 2017 bin lorry into three other lorries. The collisions caused €87,000, €38,000 and €49,000 in damage, totaling €175,998. Calderas pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full, and ordered him to pay €5,000 immediately and €7,250 within a year. He was dismissed for gross misconduct and has no prior convictions. The case highlights the impact of alcohol‑related workplace incidents on both the employee and the employer.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Bin-man who got drunk and 'played dodgems' with lorries, causing €175k in damage, avoids jail. Charges or matters: three counts of criminal damage and was given a sentence of three years, suspended in full. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• January 24 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 5, 2022 Incident
• 2024-02-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

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Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report