Thief who stole bicycle had previous convictions

By Brendan Grehan

A THIEF, with six previous convictions for burglary and who stole a €1,000 bicycle, got a three-month suspended sentence in Tallaght Court.

Derek Larkin, aged 44, with an address at Delaford Green, Knocklyon, had pleaded guilty to trespassing at an address at Westbourne Lodge and taking possession of a bicycle without the consent of its owner at Westbourne Lodge, Knocklyon, on December 27, 2015.

He was before Judge Patricia McNamara for a probation report.

The court had heard that at 6.30pm on December 27 last, gardaí responded to a call that a male was acting suspiciously in Westbourne Lodge Estate.

A garda heard noise coming from one of the houses and then saw Larkin exiting from the side lane of the house with a bicycle.

The bicycle was valued at €1,000 when it had been bought a few years earlier. Sgt Ahern said it had been returned to its owner.

The court heard that Larkin had 29 previous convictions. At Court 17 on February 10, 2010, he had received six months for burglary.

At Dublin Circuit Court on February 2, 2010, he had also received six months for burglary. At Dun Laoghaire District Court on January 11, 2009, he had been sentenced to nine months for burglary.

At Dublin Circuit Court on December 17, 2009, he had received four years for burglary.

At District Court 53 on July 26, 2009, he had been sentenced to six months for burglary and a second count of burglary was taken into consideration.

Larkin’s solicitor, Eddie O’Connor, asked the judge to deal with the case in a non-custodial manner.

He said Larkin had pleaded guilty.

Judge McNamara sentenced Larkin to three months, suspended for 12 months for the trespass charge and fined him €75 for taking the bicycle.