A BUTCHER who was caught with £40,000 worth of stolen meat has been given a three year suspended sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Edward Sperrin (40) admitted handling 285 boxes of the stolen meat at Sperrin's Butcher's Shop, Hillcrest Shopping Centre, Lucan, Dublin between September 15th and 19th, 1995. He also admitted handling 121 boxes of stolen meat at a butcher's shop he owned in Ballyfermot on the same dates.
Judge Cyril Kelly heard the meat was part of a haul which went missing from Tara Meats Ltd, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght.
The court heard gardai found the 285 boxes at Lucan when they arrived with a search warrant. Sperrin brought them to his second premises where the rest was found.
Defence counsel Mr Hugh Harnett said Sperrin co operated fully with gardai but was not able to identify the man who had sold him the meat.
Mr Harnett said Sperrin got involved in the crime as a result of debts he built up after buying a second butcher's shop. He had now sold that premises. He had no previous convictions.