Two men, Ted Sinnott and Alan Sinnott of Ardattin, Co Carlow, were convicted of possession of a stolen JCB mini digger at Carlow Circuit Court in April of this year and were sentenced by Judge Alice Doyle at Carlow Circuit Court last week. They both received a two-year sentence which was suspended provided they carry out 240 hours' community service. They were also ordered to pay €2,000 each to the local branch of St Vincent de Paul.

The JCB mini digger recovered had its serial numbers removed and following a forensic examination was identified as one stolen during a break-in at Kelly's of Borris in 2007 and which was valued at €30,000 at the time. The machine was noted following a search carried out on the farm of Ted Sinnott and Alan Sinnott on 2 December 2011 by Carlow Garda and the Garda Stolen Vehicle Unit, where a number of excavators were recovered.

Retired Detective Garda Colm Moran led the investigation and he stated that when he interviewed the Sinnotts they stated that "they bought the digger from a man who came into their yard" and that they had paid €20,000 cash for it. When asked about the machine they were evasive and had no proof of purchase or receipts.

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Judge Doyle said in sentencing: "Machinery disappearing up and down the country has been the blight of the farming community and these two men are part of that."