A former Dublin Bus mechanic has pleaded guilty to stealing €147 worth of diesel from one of the organisation’s buses. Daniel Byrne, 34, who worked for Dublin Bus for 14 years, admitted to syphoning 100 litres of fuel from a vehicle at the company’s Conyngham Road depot.
The theft occurred on 5 July of last year. Detective Garda Marc Kelly told the court that Dublin Bus conducted an internal audit in June 2024, leading to the deployment of covert cameras at the depot between 4-11 July. Footage captured Mr Byrne syphoning diesel from a bus into his personal van on 5 July.
Mr Byrne was arrested on 24 October and made no comment at the time. His defence solicitor stated that Mr Byrne had no previous convictions, had worked for Dublin Bus for 14 years, and had acted foolishly. As a result of the theft, Mr Byrne lost his job and is now retraining for alternative employment.
Judge Kelly described the case as serious, highlighting both the theft of fuel and the breach of trust involved. She adjourned the case until 1 July for a restorative justice report before finalising the matter.
In a separate but related case, another man, Eugene Nolan, 30, appeared in court charged with stealing diesel valued at €771.75 from the same Dublin Bus depot. Mr Nolan faces three charges of fuel theft on 4 July, 8 July, and 9 July, involving a total of 525 litres of diesel. He is also charged with knowingly handling stolen fuel on June 10th. Detective Garda Kelly stated that Mr Nolan made no reply to the charges after his arrest. His case was adjourned until 20 May for a plea or a hearing date.
Source: Dublin Live