This article is from page 12 of the 2007-11-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
TWO former heroin addicts who admitted stealing €5,000 worth of jewellery from an east Clare home have been warned they are facing suspended jail terms.
Carmel Duggan (23) of St Munch- in’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limer- ick, and Nicholas Herdman (35), of Dooradoyle Park, Limerick, admit- ting entering homes in Meelick and Cratloe as trespassers, with intent to commit theft, last April.
Detective Garda Stephen Ryan told Ennis Circuit Court that a woman re- turned to her Cratloe home and saw a car parked in the driveway.
Aman, Nicholas Herdman, was sit-
ting in the car. He blew the horn and two people – Duggan and a man – ap- peared from the back of the house.
Sgt Oliver Kennedy told the court that €5,000 worth of jewellery was taken from a house in Meelick, when the owner was not home. He said both accused admitted the offence. None of the property was recovered.
Herdman’s barrister, Michael Fitz- gibbon, said his client developed an addiction to heroin.
“His involvement with these rob- beries was to do with obtaining money to feed his habit,” said Mr Fitzgibbon.
He said he used two or three bags of heroin a day to “keep himself right,” but is now heroin-free.
Duggan’s barrister Lorcan Con- nolly said his client also had a heroin problem, but feels she has now ad- dressed the matter.
Judge Michael White said the jew- ellery offence was “particularly mean and nasty” and the accused were in the “terrible throes of heroin addiction”’.
“The court is concerned both of you are at a high risk of re-offending because of that addiction,” he said.
He said he intends to impose sub- stantial sentences, suspended.
“IT want to make it quite clear to both of you if you do reoffend during the period of the suspension, you will be back before me again,” he said.
He adjourned the sentencing until paleo. qmpasleyelaer