Waterford man robbed car from valet business
Cawley was sentenced at Waterford Courthouse.
A Waterford man stole a car from a local valeting business and drove to Cork.
On July 2025, Jake Cawley walked on the grounds of a car-wash/ valet service located off Railway Square.
He saw keys in the ignition of a white Golf car and opportunistically took the vehicle and drove off. Gardaí were able to track him down at an address in Youghal, Co Cork later that evening.
The 24-year-old appeared at Waterford Circuit Court before Judge Eugene O'Kelly.
The Court heard that Cawley had 86 previous convictions and committed the act while on a suspended sentence.
He was charged for driving with no insurance and the unauthorised taking of a mechanically propelled vehicle (MPV)
Defence counsel Gareth Hayden BL informed the judge that his client grew up in care and and had serious struggles with alcohol and substances.
Mr Hayden explained that Cawley has lived in homeless accommodation and is a father to a five-year-old child.
He was sentenced to two years and rthree months for the theft and foru months for driving with no insurance.
He also received a six-year disqualification from driving.
Judge O'Kelly hoped that Cawley addresses his issues for the sake of his son, commenting: "If he doesn't, he's going to spend the rest of his life in and out of jail."
