Courts / Dublin / Report

Man broke into car pound after wife's car seized due to unpaid M50 tolls

Summary

In a court hearing on 28 October 2025, Keith O'Neill, aged 38, pleaded guilty to criminal damage after breaking into a car pound in Tallaght to recover his wife's vehicle, which had been seized for unpaid M50 tolls amounting to €5,000–€7,000. O'Neill and his wife had attempted to negotiate the return of the car and its contents on 2 and 3 December 2021, but the car remained in the secure yard. CCTV footage captured O'Neill cutting a lock worth €500 and taking the car that night. The vehicle was later found parked elsewhere. O'Neill, who has prior convictions for criminal damage and road traffic offences, was sentenced to an 18‑month prison term suspended on the condition of good behaviour, and was ordered to pay €750 to the business owner or a charity of his choice.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man broke into car pound after wife's car seized due to unpaid M50 tolls. Charges or matters: criminal damage at Ktech Security, Cookstown industrial estate, Tallaght on December 3, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• December 3, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 2 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2025-10-28 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report