This article is from page 12 of the 2008-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
JAIL is full of drugs and there is no help available for addicts – according to a former inmate.
The claim was made at Ennis Dis- trict Court on Friday, by a young man who was released from prison last month, having served an 18-month term for criminal damage.
Jason Gordon (29), of St Vincent’s Hostel, Anglesea ‘Terrace, Cork, admitted a charge of burglary of a house in Ennis last Thursday, Febru- eae
Garda Beatrice Ryan told Ennis District Court that she received a call at lunchtime last Thursday, claiming that a man had broken into a house.
Sie IUUA Lot MrI MASON AI KoM Ele noticed that a window had been bro- ken and the accused had crawled in through the broken glass.
He had been seen by a neighbour going into the house and was still there when gardai arrived.
The court was told that Gordon had 65 previous convictions, some of which dated back to 1992.
Defending solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client was extremely intox1-
cated, having drank two bottles of 0r6 1 ¢2
He said his client had been travel- ling on a bus from Cork to his native SY ETXey
He got off the bus and broke into the house, which was very close to the bus station, said the solicitor.
He said nothing had been taken from the house.
‘He has a long-standing battle with alcohol. He is smoking heroin and taking cocaine. This was an unhap- py attempt to return home. It was a mindless crime,” said Mr Hassett.
Gordon stood up in court and said he had been released from jail, five weeks earlier, having served time for criminal damage.
“You just end up taking more drugs when you go into prison. Prison 1s full of drugs. You can’t get any help in there,” he told Judge Joseph Man- gan.
Judge Mangan jailed him for six months and fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.