Man who stole 8-year-old girl's e-scooter from back garden was 'highly intoxicated'

Levani Dagargulia (43) pleaded guilty to trespass and taking the scooter from Glen Ellen Gardens in Swords on October 25 last year.

Garda Maria Hughes said she was on mobile patrol in Swords when she was flagged down by a man who told her another male had entered his back garden and taken an electric scooter belonging to his daughter.

The injured party told the garda the man had entered his garden through the gate.

He had gotten the scooter back from the person who had taken it and pointed out the direction the defendant had gone.

Garda Hughes said she stopped the defendant a short distance away and when she spoke to him, he was highly intoxicated.

Dagargulia was identified by the injured party as the person who had taken the scooter.

The accused, of Glen Ellen Grove, Swords, was arrested and charged.

He made no reply to the first charge but said: “Yes, I plead guilty to that” to the second charge.

Defence solicitor Fiona D’Arcy said Dagargulia “doesn’t know why he did it”.

The defendant, who works as a cleaner and is a married father of three, has never been in trouble before, she added.

The solicitor said what happened was a “once off”, Dagargulia had been drinking heavily that day and had made a “stupid mistake”.

Judge Gerard Jones ordered the defendant to pay €500 compensation to the injured party and adjourned the case to September 5th to allow time for the payment to be made.

He directed that if the compensation was not paid then a one month sentence be imposed.