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Serial car thief with 'clear disdain' for others gets nine years
Summary
Carl McGuinness received a ten-year sentence, with the final year suspended, for a series of vehicle thefts, dangerous driving and related offences in Dublin. Judge Martina Baxter also disqualified him from driving for ten years after noting his 106 previous convictions. Carl McGuinness pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Serial car thief with 'clear disdain' for others gets nine years. Charges or matters: a string of offences involving the taking of vehicles, attempted theft and dangerous driving around Dublin on dates between August 2024 and May 2025; allowing himself to be carried on a motorbike without consent of an owner in Dublin city centre on August 28, 2024; attempting to rob a car from a man at Main Street in Finglas in the early hours of October 5, 2024; a string of offences in relation to this incident on January 13, 2025, including unlawful taking of a car, dangerous driving, damaging the bus and the car, driving without a licence or insurance, three counts of dangerous driving and possession of cocaine; unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, stealing a handbag and a phone, failing to report an accident to gardaí, two counts of dangerous driving and driving while intoxicated. Proc
When:
- August 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2025 Incident
- August 28, 2024 Incident
- October 5, 2024 Incident
- January 13, 2025 Incident
- May 24, 2025 Incident
- 2026-03-03 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: a string of offences involving the taking of vehicles, attempted theft and dangerous driving around Dublin on dates between August 2024 and May 2025; allowing himself to be carried on a motorbike without consent of an owner in Dublin city centre on August 28, 2024; attempting to rob a car from a man at Main Street in Finglas in the early hours of October 5, 2024; a string of offences in relation to this incident on January 13, 2025, including unlawful taking of a car, dangerous driving, damaging the bus and the car, driving without a licence or insurance, three counts of dangerous driving and possession of cocaine; unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, stealing a handbag and a phone, failing to report an accident to gardaí, two counts of dangerous driving and driving while intoxicated (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Baxter handed down a sentence of 10 years, which she backdated to May 2025 when McGuinness went into custody. She suspended the final year on a number of conditions to allow for "genuine rehabilitation" and she disqualified him from driving for 10 years.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Main Street
- Dublin
- Cappagh Avenue
- was taken to Mountjoy Garda Station
- Mountjoy
Topics
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