Suspended sentence for Tallaght man with 162 previous convictions

By Fiona Ferguson

A man with 162 previous convictions, who was caught with housebreaking implements within 24 hours of his release from custody, has been given a suspended sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Christy Connors (27) has not spent Christmas with his family since 2008.

Connors, of Cookstown Cottages, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to production of a rod-like device to be used in a theft or a burglary in Dun Laoghaire on January 28, 2015.

In January 2013 Connors received a four-year sentence with the final year suspended for assault of an off-duty garda and the theft of her handbag on February 2, 2011 at Cornelscourt Shopping Centre in Dublin.

He was released on January 9, 2015 and rearrested for burglary three days later. He got High Court bail on January 26, 2015 and committed this offence within 24 hours of being released.

Judge Melanie Greally had adjourned sentencing with Connors in custody to allow a probation report be prepared after hearing evidence in the case last March.

Judge Greally said Connors had a difficult personal background and spent a significant period of his young life in prison. She noted that he had recently seen the error of his ways and expressed a desire to turn his life around.

She said he had been applying his time in custody to “worthwhile pursuits” and imposed a three-year sentence which she suspended in full. She ordered 18 months probation supervision.

Garda Neill Doyle told Lorcan Staines BL, prosecuting, that he was on patrol on Harbour Road in Dun Laoghaire when he saw a car in which Connors was a passenger. He followed the car to Charlemont Avenue and saw Connors exit with a stick-like object in his hand.

Garda Doyle said it was a whip-like implement which was used as a “fishing” device to hook out car keys from houses. He identified himself as a garda and told Connors to stop.

Connors dropped the implement and took up an aggressive stance. Gardaí struggled to restrain him and he tried to bite one of the gardaí to free himself. He was pepper-sprayed before being arrested.

Gardaí also found gloves, hat and a glass-breaking hammer in the car.

Kenneth Kerins BL, defending, said Connors’s mother had died since the last hearing and his client had been unable to attend her funeral, which had compounded his desire to put these matters behind him. He said Connors was doing very well in custody.

At the earlier hearing in March defence counsel said Connors had a difficult background with no strong male role model. He said Connors was using substances from a young age which lead to him becoming involved in criminality. He handed in a letter from Connors to the court.

He said since 2008 Connors had not spent Christmas with his family or attended any family event of note. He said Connors accepted this could not continue and was anxious to get on with his life.

Mr Kerins asked the court to leave Connors with some hope and to structure a sentence which would allow the probation service to intervene with him prior to his departure from prison.