Man stole sweets worth €280 from service station

A MAN who stole bags of sweets worth €280 at a service station received a suspended sentence at Blanchardstown District Court.

Lee Dowling (28), with an address of MacUilliam Parade, Tallaght, appeared before court in custody, as he is serving a separate sentence.

Garda Jake Dillon told the court that on July 20, 2024, Mr Dowling entered a Circle K in Citywest and helped himself to a selection of sweets, walking out without paying.

Responding to the incident, gardai checked CCTV footage in the store and identified the accused walking on Citywest Road carrying a black gear bag which contained the stolen goods.

Dowling was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act and conveyed to Clondalkin Garda Station.

The goods, made up of individual sweet bags worth €4, were returned to the store and were in resaleable condition.

The court heard Mr Dowling has 24 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Ciaran MacLaughlin said most of his client’s offences have occurred in the last five/six years, which was proceeded by the death of his grandmother, who had a positive influence on his life, when he was 23.

“He spiralled at that point and got into a lot of trouble,” said Mr MacLaughlin.

His client left school at 16 and dabbled in drugs in his early 20s “when things went wrong for him” but was pleading guilty to the charges as he wants all matters dealt with and nothing pending when he gets out.

The court heard Mr Dowling is currently serving a two-year sentence, has been in custody for 13 months with an earliest release date potentially in July 2026.

Mr MacLaughlin appealed for leniency.

Judge Peter White sentenced Dowling to six months suspended for two years to provide some light at the end of the tunnel for the defendant, but with the “sword of Damocles” hanging over him for the suspension upon his release if he reoffends.

Funded by the local Court Reporting Scheme