Vehicle dealer John Alex Kane of Cartron, Granard, Co Longford, has pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the possession of stolen property and deception in a case involving three vehicles stolen from farms.

Mr Kane pleaded guilty to the possession of two stolen tractors – taken from two separate premises in the UK – and a jeep stolen from a farm in Co Wexford.

These stolen vehicles were valued at more than €62,500 by gardaí.

Mr Kane pleaded guilty to the possession of a stolen John Deere 6220 tractor, valued at €28,400, which had been stolen from a Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, England. He also pleaded guilty to deceiving a farmer of €25,000 in relation to this tractor.

The second stolen tractor Mr Kane pleaded guilty to possessing was a New Holland TM155 with a value of €22,450 which was stolen from a tillage farm in Cambridgeshire, England.

The Longford man pleaded guilty to the possession of a Toyota Hilux jeep stolen from a farmer in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, with an estimated value of €12,500.

The offences took place at Rathcronan Motors, Granard, Co Longford, and within the State.

Investigations began in March 2018 and were conducted by the Granard detective branch of An Garda Síochána and the garda stolen motor vehicle investigation unit.

The plea was made at a sitting of the Longford Circuit Court on Tuesday 10 January, where Judge Kenneth Connolly heard that Mr Kane was entering the three stolen possession pleas on the basis of recklessness.

Mr Kane’s representation in court sought an adjournment of proceedings to allow for the submission of a substantial amount of mitigation in defence of what was a complex investigation.

Judge Connolly remanded Mr Kane on continuing bail to a sitting of Longford Circuit Court later this year.

The 48-year-old has served jail time after breaching a court order linked to a €4.9m Revenue judgement secured in 2009.