A MAN and a woman are to be sentenced for stealing €30,000 worth of fake tan and other products from their employer and selling them on Bebo.
Judge Tony Hunt yesterday told the two at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he would not send them to jail if they paid back the company in full.
John Monaghan (29), of Crann Nua, Edenderry Road, Portarlington, pleaded guilty to stealing Fake Bake tanning and other products, including fake nails and make-up, from Eurosales International, Ballymount Business Park, on January 11th, 2008.
Sinead Doyle (29), of Hillsbrook Avenue, Perrystown, Dublin, pleaded guilty to handling similar stolen goods belonging to Eurosales International at an unknown location between October 2007 and January 2008.
Garda Gloria Dooley told Ronan Kennedy, prosecuting, that Mr Monaghan was a logistics manager at the company, which imports beauty products for wholesale. Ms Doyle had worked there but had left at the time of the offence.
The firm’s owner, John O’Brien, became aware that products which the firm sold almost exclusively were being offered for sale on the Bebo social networking site.
He examined the company’s computer system and found several e-mails between Mr Monaghan and Ms Doyle arranging the theft and sale of the products.
On another occasion, Mr Monaghan called to a warehouse and was seen loading a full pallet of fake tan into his car.
Garda were alerted and the two were arrested. Ms Doyle claimed they both only made about €1,500 each. She said she got another girl to sell fake tan on the internet while she sold it to beauty salons and friends. The tan retails for €35, but she told it for €10 or €15.
Ms Doyle’s defence counsel, Sandra Frayne, said her client has found the prosecution stressful and has been hospitalised three times. She said she had no previous convictions. Mr Monaghan’s defence counsel, Tom Neville, said his client has no previous convictions and had a partner and child.
The pair presented €24,000 in court between them as compensation. Judge Hunt adjourned finalisation until December and said if they can produce another €6,000 he would not impose a sentence.