Couple sentenced for stealing heart transplant boy's father's car
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 18:38 · Archive
A west Belfast couple have been sentenced for stealing a car full of Christmas presents belonging to the father of young heart transplant recipient Daithi MacGabhann.
Brandon Lee O'Neill, 24, of Glenalina Gardens in west Belfast, was jailed for nine months with a further nine months on supervised licence and disqualified from driving for three years. He pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking driven dangerously, aggravated vehicle taking causing damage, and theft of a Playstation 5 console.
His co-accused Dearbhla Conlon, 36, of Stormount Street in east Belfast, received a two-year probation order and a 12-month driving ban. Judge Mark Reel noted that Conlon was not involved in stealing the car and did not drive the stolen vehicle. She pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking driven dangerously and two counts of aggravated vehicle taking causing damage.
On 17 December 2025, police responded to a report that Mairtin MacGabhann's silver Skoda Kodiaq had been stolen from outside his west Belfast home. The car was laden with Christmas presents and later driven at police officers during the suspects' apprehension. The vehicle sustained £9,000 in repair damage. O'Neill, Conlon and another female were detained at the Kennedy centre after attempting to sell the stolen Playstation 5 console.
How it is being reported
- West Belfast couple who stole Dáithí Mac Gabhann’s family car and Christmas presents are sentencedBelfast Telegraph · 16 Oct, 18:11
- West Belfast couple sentenced for stealing car belonging to Daithi's dadThe car was laden down with Christmas presents at the time of the theft while repairs to the vehicle cost £9,000Belfast Live · 16 Oct, 17:12
In this story: Brandon Lee O'Neill · Dearbhla Conlon · Daithi MacGabhann · Mairtin MacGabhann · Belfast Crown Court · West Belfast
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem
Comments (0)