Brothers admit stealing laptop from Sean Quinn's daughter
Two brothers, who have amassed more than 100 criminal convictions between them, today admitted stealing a laptop belonging to a daughter of jailed former billionaire Sean Quinn.
Keith (aged 36) and his younger brother Gary Kinlan (aged 35), broke into Aoife Quinn’s car while it was parked in a laneway in north inner city Dublin.
They stole a case containing a HP laptop and iPhone 3GS belonging to her but were caught by gardaí within minutes hiding in a flats complex.
The pair, who are from Summerhill in north inner city Dublin, pleaded guilty today to the theft at Loftus Lane, Dublin 1, on July 28 last.
The men had previously denied the charges but changed their pleas to guilty this morning as their hearing at Dublin District Court was about to begin.
Ms Quinn was not present and did not have to give evidence in light of their admissions. However, her husband, Stephen Kelly, came to court to watch the proceedings.
Garda David Stafford told the court he was on patrol at Loftus Lane at 5.10pm when he saw the two men breaking into the 05-registered Mercedes.
“They made off in the direction of Dominick Street flats and I caught them underneath a stairwell,” Gda Stafford told Judge Catherine Murphy.
Defence solicitor Jenny McGeever said her clients had co-operated and it was a "straightforward” investigation.
Judge Murphy heard that Keith Kinlan had more than 50 previous convictions including theft, burglary, motoring, public order and assault offences.
His brother Gary already had 61 previous convictions for crimes including theft and burglary.
Both had received three-year sentences for burglary which were suspended for 18 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2011.
These was still hanging over them at the time they stole Ms Quinn’s property which was recovered.
Judge Murphy adjourned their cases until tomorrow when they will appear in the Circuit Court which will decide whether or not it will activate their suspended sentences.
After that, they will come back to the district court which will hear mitigation pleas and deal with sentencing in relation to their latest crimes.
Neither of the Kinlans addressed the court during the hearing in which they also admitted other theft charges. The court heard gardaí saw Keith Kinlan walking with a bag on Gardiner Street on August 15.
He was stopped at Frenchman’s Lane where he handed over the bag which had a computer and other personal items that were stolen from a car.
On August 13 last, gardaí learned that two men were breaking into a car at Granby Lane, Dublin 1.
Keith Kinlan had found with a HP laptop and his brother was holding DVDs. They admitted breaking into a car and stealing the property.
