Donegal judge says man must give €1,000 to RNLI to avoid jail for lifebuoy theft

A district court judge said she is seriously considering a custodial sentence in the case of a man who stole a lifebuoy and committed a number of other offences on various nights out in Donegal Town. 

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham told the defendant that coming to Donegal and breaking the law in acts of drunken bravado in front of his friends was not acceptable. 

Paul McCann, 24, of 100 Cooobro Road, Seskinore, Omagh Tyrone was before Ballyshannon District Court on April 17. He had previously pleaded guilty to theft of a lifebuoy at Donegal Bay Waterbus, Donegal Town, on December 1, 2024. He had also admitted theft of a Samsung S24 Ultra mobile phone at Apache Pizza, The Diamond Donegal Town. Both offences are contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001. 

He further pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to the extent of being a danger to himself or others at Quay Street, Donegal Town on November 15, 2025.

At a sitting of Ballyshannon on December 19 last, McCann was given the choice between having the theft charges dealt with in the district court, or before judge and jury in the circuit court. He opted for the district court, and recorded a guilty plea. All matters were adjourned to April 17 to allow for the preparation of a probation and welfare report.

At the April sitting, Solicitor Ciaran White asked that his client be given the opportunity to take the stand and apologise.

McCann told the court: “I apologise to Apache Pizza and to gardaí.”

Regarding the theft of the lifebuoy, he said: “I know they are there to save lives. I am very sorry.

“I am not drinking much now. I am working away, keeping my head down.”

Judge Cunningham said: “It is a very serious matter. 

“Imagine if someone in your family was in difficulty in the water and there was no lifebuoy to save them because of someone’s drunken behaviour.”

“It is not acceptable that you are coming up to Donegal drinking, committing these offences in acts of drunken bravado in front of your friends.

“You took the phone from an Apache worker. You were behaving appallingly and he was recording it. One of your friends took the phone and you ran off with it.”

The judge told Mr White: “I am seriously considering a suspended sentence even though he has no previous convictions.”

The solicitor replied that the defendant’s mother was present, supporting him.

Judge Cunningham acknowledged this, saying: “I have seen his mother here, she  has been here supporting her son all day. I fully appreciate that it is very difficult for her. I am sure it is not the way she brought him up. I am sure she is very distressed in relation to this matter.”

To McCann, the judge asked: “Do you understand the stress you have put your mother under?”

He replied: “Yes, I do.”

Mr White said he was certain that there was remorse from his client, especially in relation to the lifebuoy.

The judge said that McCann must come up with €1,000 to be given to the RNLI, but stressed that this was not to be perceived as a way to avoid a conviction.

“I am going to record a conviction,” she said. “This is not a donation in lieu.”

She adjourned the matter to July 17 to allow McCann time to come up with the money and make the payment to the RNLI.

“If the sum is paid, I will deal with it short of a custodial sentence, suspended or otherwise,” she said.