Mark Andrew O’Neill (32), of 12 Gosheden Cottages, appeared at Derry Crown Court where he admitted four charges of fraud and a further count of attempted fraud in relation to dates between May 17 and July 10 last year.

The court heard that a total of five hire companies were contacted by someone purporting to be from the Department of the Environment who required equipment including power saws and diamond blades.

O’Neill would later pick up the equipment, using various aliases including Eamon Canning, Sam Hill, Mark McCorkhill and Mark McCombe. When contacted by the various hire companies, the DOE said that none of the people named were in its employ and that no such orders were placed or received.

On one occasion, O’Neill turned up at a hire company to pick up equipment but the company had been unable to source it as previously arranged by telephone.

CCTV footage was recovered from some of the premises along with finger prints of the defendant from hire documents.

A search of O’Neill’s home took place on October 23 and a number of items were recovered including saw blades, saw discs and an angle grinder.

He denied any involvement and stated that he bought the items from a member of the travelling community for £120 at a fair in Clones.

Defence Counsel Seamus McNeill said his client did not accept that he planned the fraud - “the person making

the phone calls”. He added that O’Neill was vulnerable because he had problems with alcohol and gambling as well as an addiction to painkillers.

Judge Philip Babington said he accepted that O'Neill was working with “criminally-minded people” and that the offence was premeditated. He added that the defendant played a “vital role”.

O’Neill was jailed for six months and given 12 months on community probation with an order to attend addiction treatment services.