Peace commissioner stole €84,000 paint
A peace commissioner who stole €84,995 worth of paint from his employer has received a three- year suspended sentence from Judge Donagh McConagh at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Schwer, aged 51, of Brannockstown, Naas was told by Judge McDonagh he was a lucky man but if he re-offended "the doors of Mountjoy will clang with you on the inside".
Schwer pleaded guilty to stealing car paint worth €82,250 and Dulex house paint worth €2,745.50 from PPG Industries, in Inchicore, on dates between January 1996 and December 2002.
Detective Sergeant Joe O’Hara of Sundrive Road Garda Station told Mr Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, that the owner of the company contacted the gardaí in December 2002 when he noticed stock missing from the warehouse.
The paint was found in the garage of Schwer’s home on December 23, 2002. Schwer was not at the house but voluntarily came to the garda station the following day.
Det. Sgt O’Hara agreed there was no evidence to suggest that Schwer had resold the product or made any profit for the theft. All the goods were returned but PPG Industries was at a loss of €7,240, and Dulex of €1,070 for paint that had gone out of date or had been damaged.
Det. Sgt O’Hara agreed with Mr Damien Sheridan BL, defending, that Schwer had claimed he moved the paint to his home because the company was moving location and he was concerned that the move was badly planned.
He said he was afraid his clients’ demands would not be met during the relocation so he removed the paint to store it in his garage.
Det Sgt O’Hara accepted that Schwer had been working for the company for 24 years and had been contributing to 50% of its sales for the past 14 years.
Mr Sheridan said this crime represented a "spectacular fall from grace" for Schwer who had been highly respected both by his employers and his clients. He was also highly regarded by people in the community and had been a peace commissioner since 1983.
Judge Donagh McDonagh accepted Schwer had co-operated fully with gardaí and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
He noted Schwer had €5,000 in cash and a cheque for €3,247 to cover the loss incurred by PPG and Dulex.
Judge McDonagh said it was "an unusual crime" and he was "mystified" as to what Schwer was doing. "This behaviour is bizarre and totally unacceptable for a person who is a peace commissioner."
He sentenced Schwer to three years in prison but suspended it on condition he keep the peace.
