Dungannon pork thieves jailed after police uncover scam involving meat flogged from back of a van

Karol Adamski and Robert McIlhatten were handed three month jail sentences at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard how their conspiracy was uncovered after thirty-four year old Adamski, from Roseville Crescent, Randalstown, was stopped by police on the main Cookstown to Dungannon Road on November 19, 2015.

When police discovered a large amount of pork products in the back of his ford transit van, the defendant claimed he was doing a delivery for Dunbia Meats.

Police brought Adamski back to the Dungannon meat company to verify his claims, but the security guard informed police that no delivery documents existed for the pork, which was valued at £1,200.

At the same time, police noticed fifty-four year old McIlhatton, from Sandford Lane, Larne, loitering in the shadows of the security hut.

It later emerged that McIlhatton had approached the security guard and offered to bribe him to falsify delivery documents.

The pork had been delivered to Dunbia meats by McIlhatton, where it had been turned away by Adamski, who was working as a supervisor, on the grounds that it had been incorrectly labelled.

Adamski then offered to pay McIlhatton for the meat, rather than have it returned to the original processing company for correct labelling.

McIlhatton subsequently met Adamski at a lay-by and handed over the pork products.

Judge John Meehan accused McIlhatton of not showing genuine remorse by claiming he did not know his actions amounted to stealing.

“You entered into a conspiracy with your co-accused after being offered money - this was theft,” said the judge.

The judge also accused Adamski of committing a breach of trust.

Dunbia had investigated if the fraud been committed on a systematic basis but was unable to find evidence. It emerged that Adamski had been buying meat products from the company, and later selling them on himself to an address book of contacts, which the police found in his van.

Judge Meehan said that off-loading lorries in the middle of the night with high value goods was pre-planned fraud and sentenced the two men to three months in jail.

Both defendants later submitted an appeal.