Man ran ‘Europe's cheapest car park' in scam on school grounds
Jason Walsh (36) was caught several times charging up to 150 vehicles to park in the school after breaking the locks and getting in
An intruder broke into a Dublin secondary school and turned the grounds into an unauthorised paid car park in a money-making scam.
Jason Walsh (36) was caught several times charging up to 150 vehicles to park in the school after breaking the locks and getting in.
Judge John Hughes said it must have been the 'cheapest car park in Europe' when Walsh maintained he only made €200 himself after donating half the proceeds to charity.
Dublin District Court heard students' events had to be scaled back or cancelled to pay for the €1,000 of damage Walsh caused, and the judge told him to repay this or face jail.
Walsh, of The Willows, Finglas Road, Glasnevin, pleaded guilty to trespassing, criminal damage and deception by inducing the public to pay for car parking on private property without permission.
The court heard the caretaker at St Vincent's Secondary School, Finglas Road, Glasnevin, called gardaí after the locks on the front gates were broken and two men were parking cars on the grounds in exchange for unknown sums of money.
The same thing happened again on two other days.
Walsh had 181 previous convictions for offences including burglary.
The accused apologised and indicated he was going to pay for the damage, his solicitor said.
Walsh was trying to 'make a few extra quid' when he got involved in the offence with two other people. Judge Hughes told Walsh he had a 'good oul run of it' and when asked how much he had got from it, Walsh replied €200.
The judge said with 150 cars, it was 'the cheapest car park in Europe, I'd say'.
The court heard to pay for the damage, the school had to redirect funds from student events.
Walsh said he was a recovering drug addict, rebuilding his life.
The court heard he had suffered a lot of personal trauma, including the loss of a partner who was murdered.
'There's kids who didn't get to go on school tours because yourself and your buddies were running a scam,' the judge said.
'You are going to have to pony up the cash or you're going to jail.'
Jason Walsh said he made €200. Photo: Collins Courts
News in 90 Seconds - 3rd June 2025
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