This article is from page 16 of the 2012-10-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
A Kilrush man has been sentenced to five months in prison for offences committed on the premises of a shop in the West Clare town earlier this year.
Patrick Hall (26), with an address at 3 Chapel Street, Kilrush, appeared before Ennis District Court on Tuesday.
Mr Hall pleaded guilty charges of theft, trespassing and criminal damage.
The charges arose out of an incident at Patrick Burke Menswear in Kilrush on March 26.
After hearing a brief outline of the facts of the case, Judge Patrick Durcan accepted jurisdiction.
Garda Conor Flaherty of Kilrush Garda Station told the court that gardaí responded to a call of a man on the roof of Patrick Burke Menswear.
Garda Flaherty said that he observed Mr Hall damaging an air con- ditioning unit.
He said the accused took a copper pipe from the unit. Mr Hall was arrested but gave no explanation for taking the pipe.
The court heard that € 200 worth of damage was caused.
No compensation has been paid. Inspector Tom Kennedy said Mr Hall has 43 previous convictions.
Solicitor William Cahir said his client has suffered from serious alcohol and drug problems.
He said Mr Hall is a “gentlemen who is easily led.”
Mr Cahir said that Mr Hall is apologetic for his “mindless beahviour.”
Inspector Kennedy said Mr Hall’s activity had “caused an awful lot of difficulty” to gardaí in Kilrush.
Judge Durcan imposed a five-month sentence for criminal damage and a three-month concurrent sentence. The sentence was made retrospec tive to July.