This article is from page 22 of the 2008-03-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
THE actions of aman who broke into a church and beauticians in Sixmile- bridge were fuelled by his addiction to heroin, according to his solicitor.
Michael Desmond (26), of St Munchin’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick, pleaded guilty to enter- ing St Finnachta’s church, Sixmileb- ridge, as a trespasser with intent to commit theft, on May 22, 2007.
He also admitted breaking into a beauty salon in Sixmiulebridge on the same date.
Desmond also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and two counts of criminal damage.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told En- nis District Court on Friday that at 1.30pm on the date in question the church caretaker found Desmond in the sacristy.
He fled from the church when he saw her and had kicked the door of the sacristy, said the inspector.
“Gardai had a description of Mr Desmond and his accomplice and had a number of a car. Gardai discovered Mr Desmond on the street. At that stage he had broken into a beauty sa- lon,” said Inspector Kennedy.
He said that at the beauty salon, Desmond had tried to force open a door, but did not take anything.
“He was found in possession of a Stanley knife, the type of knife you’d use for cutting carpet,’ he said.
Desmond had 57 previous convic-
tions, the first of which was regis- tered in 1996. They included convic- tions for burglary, criminal damage and motoring offences.
“I can’t say anything really positive about Mr Desmond. He has a des- perately bad record,” said Inspector Kennedy.
Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client was “probably about 13 when he first got into trouble.”
She said that when asked by gardai why he committed the offences, he said, “to try and help my habit, until I get treated.”
She said her client had been free of heroin for the past seven or eight months.
‘He is undergoing urine testing at the moment at Limerick Prison. It’s not impossible to get heroin in Lim- erick Prison, but he is not using it,” she said.
She said when he went into custody last year, he was just seven stone but now weighs 15-and-a-half stone.
‘He is off the heroin. He’s doing his best. Physically he is recovering,” she said.
“It was a day of complete madness, which was fuelled by his heroin ad- diction,’ she added.
Judge Joseph Mangan imposed jail sentences totalling 15 months and fixed a bond in the event of an ap- peal.