Jail sentence for man who drove off from two Kilkenny service stations without paying for fuel

Kilkenny District Court

A motorist who drove off from filling stations without paying for fuel on two occasions, has been convicted of motoring offences and disqualified from driving.

Sean Rausch, 34 The Metropole, James Street, Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to four charges at Kilkenny District Court - two ‘drive off’ thefts, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

The first offence occurred on March 26, 2026. Gardaí received a report from the Fairview Service Station in Graignamanagh that a motorist had put €40 of petrol in their vehicle then left without paying.

On March 28, Mr Rausch put petrol worth €50 in his car, this time at the Inver service station on the Castlecomer Road in Kilkenny, and left without paying.

At 6.45pm that day the vehicle was identified and stopped by gardaí at Hebron Road, Kilkenny, following an ANPR alert.

Mr Rausch’s driving documents were demanded and he failed to produce them within 10 days.

The court was told the defendant had 74 previous convictions, including “several dangerous driving” and “a lot of thefts.”

Solicitor Alex Rafter said a large number of his client’s previous convictions were from when he was a juvenile. He said he has known the defendant for a long time and he had moved away from Dublin and ‘bad actors’ there.’ Mr Rausch has been living in Kilkenny for two years and the solicitor said he was surprised to see him in court as he has a partner, a 14 month-old child and was doing well.

Mr Rausch got a car but could not afford the insurance, the solicitor said.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Mr Rausch of driving without insurance and disqualified him from driving for two years. Not having a licence was taken into consideration.

On the theft charge, from March 28, Mr Rausch was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison, with the second theft offence taken into consideration.

Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.