A Norwegian engineer extradited for stealing a rental car hired in Dublin before driving it back to his home country two years ago pleaded guilty and has been sent forward for sentencing.
Bjorn Tveter, 40, from Langelandsfjellet, Jessheim, Norway, appeared again at Dublin District Court and instructed his lawyers to furnish Judge Michele Finan with a signed guilty plea.
He is charged with stealing the Audi from a Dublin car rental firm and using false documentation to hire the vehicle on November 25th, 2020.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the case go forward on indictment in the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers. The accused confirmed that he understood the charge and had signed a guilty plea.
Judge Finan told him she was sending him forward for sentencing at the Circuit Court, where the case will be listed on March 10th. He was granted legal aid and did not apply for bail.
Earlier, his solicitor Tony Collier told the court he wanted to obtain documents from the Norwegian embassy to assist Mr Tveter.
At the previous hearing, Detective Garda Dominic McGrath told the court the accused replied “not guilty” to the motor theft offence and “that’s true” when the documents charges were put to him.
Detective Garda McGrath had objected to bail, citing flight risk fears. He said he emailed Mr Tveter on 14 occasions and suggested getting legal advice and returning to Ireland because the matter was under investigation.
The detective also telephoned him but he did not return. He said that Mr Tveter understood perfect English.
Consequently, a European Arrest Warrant was issued, and Spanish police stopped Mr Tveter about to cross into Gibraltar on January 13th.
He was held in custody in Spain for almost two weeks until he was brought back to Ireland on January 25th and charged. He was remanded in custody a day later.
Mr Collier had said his client, a telecommunications engineer, was told by Norwegian police that “the matter is now closed”.
However, the garda replied that the offence did not occur in Norway, and he advised the accused to return. He feared the accused would leave the jurisdiction and not return if released.
Mr Collier said the case against his client was that he hired a car in Dublin in 2020 and left the jurisdiction with it despite being told by the rental company he could not do that. Later, he was stopped in Norway by local police, who recovered the car. The court heard it was returned eventually.
The defence accepted Mr Tveter did not have anywhere to live in Ireland but wished to be able to leave the country and return for scheduled court appearances. However, Mr Tveter called off his bail application and consented to remain in custody.