TWO ' VERY intelligent' young men who stole from two cars in Carlow have to pay a combined total of €2,500 to the Aislinn rehabilitation centre in Ballyraggett if they are to escape criminal convictions for theft.

Friends Piotr Stankiewcz, of 9 Friar's Green, Tullow Road, and Timo Holmann, of 9 Mountain View, Pollerton, pleaded guilty to the thefts when they appeared before Carlow District Court last Wednesday.

Joe Farrell, representing both defendants, said the case had previously been adjourned to allow both young men complete their Leaving Certificate exams.

Garda Robert Rasmussen said that the cars, at 22 The Fairways, Pollerton, and 13 Pollerton Manor, were broken into on August 24, 2009. Stankiewcz and Holmann stole a CD player worth €130 and a USB cable worth €10 from the first car and a Dell laptop worth €800 from the second.

The garda told Judge William Harnett that Stankiewcz and Holmann were seen entering the first vehicle and taking property from it. Based on the description of the two men given, Garda Rasmussen later stopped the defendants, who admitted they were carrying stolen electronic equipment. They cooperated fully and the property was recovered.

Mr Farrell, for Stankiewcz and Holmann, pointed out that the cars stolen from were, in fact, open and his clients did not have to force them open.

The court heard that Stankiewcz has no previous convictions and Holmann has four, all for public order offences.

Mr Farrell said Stankiewcz, of Polish descent, had just completed his Leaving Cert at the Presentation Secondary School. He said he was a very talented animator and had enrolled in a course at Carlow VEC which will allow him prepare his portfolio for entry to an animation course. Mr Farrell said that Stankiewcz won awards in Poland for his animations before he moved to Carlow.

Mr Farrell said that both Stankiewcz and Holmann are 'very intelligent individuals' and that they set out with no intention to steal from cars, but that their offences were opportunistic.

'If they were so intelligent wouldn't they know taking someone's laptop computer is a very serious offence?' enquired Judge Harnett, adding that the owner could have lost years worth of research if it had not been recovered by the Gardaí.

Mr Farrell said that Holmann expects to do well in his Leaving Cert and has applied to attend college in Dublin. He also said that he had explained to both his clients that a conviction for theft could have grave consequences for their ambitions to travel in the future.

Mr Farrell suggested that the judge ask for a probation officer's report, 'rather than me telling you how good these chaps are'.

Judge Harnett said that Stankiewcz and Holmann were in a different position than many of those who come before him who have troubled backgrounds and he pointed out that people with good parents, a good upbringing and a good education should know better.

Mr Farrell said they were both holding down summer jobs and appeared to have ' knuckled down somewhat'. However, Judge Harnett said he didn't need a probation officer's report.

He said that due to the goodwill of Garda Rasmussen, who largely agreed with what Mr Farrell had to say on behalf of the defendants, he was prepared to give them a chance.

Stankiewcz was ordered to make a donation of €1,000 to the Aislinn Centre and Holmann, in light of his previous convictions, was ordered to make a donation of €1,500. Judge Harnett indicated that if this is done by September 15 next and receipts produced to him he will give them the benefit of the probation act.