This article is from page 18 of the 2011-02-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A MAN burgled a hotel room in Ennis while “in the throes of a very bad addiction” to drugs, a court has been told.
Cathal Mulcaire (29), with addresses at Lifford Lodge, Lifford Road, Ennis; and Apartment 4, 59 Henry Street, Limerick; pleaded guilty to burglary at the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, on June 16, 2009.
Inspector John Galvin told Ennis District Court on Friday that a hotel bedroom was entered by the accused and another individual at 7pm and a number of items, including a laptop and phone, were taken. The property was not recovered.
“Gardaí were called. The accused was identified through CCTV footage. He was co-operative with gardaí. The property had been moved on by the time gardaí spoke to him,” he said.
The court heard the accused had a number of previous convictions for theft-related offences.
Defending solicitor Daragh Hassett said at the time of this offence his client “was in the throes of a very bad addiction”.
“The goods taken were moved on very quickly. They were swapped to allow him to continue with his ad- diction. He was in a very bad place with a very bad addiction,” he said.
He said that his client has since “managed to wean himself off the drug”, having taken up a methadone programme.
“He is drug-free. He’s no trouble to anybody,” said Mr Hassett.
Judge Joseph Mangan noted: “He has a bad record. The items which he took aggravated the offence. I have to take into account they were not recovered.”
He imposed a six-month jail term and fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.