Young man went on theft spree remanded in custody

A YOUNG man who “didn’t have the best start to life” and went on a theft spree following the death of his grandmother was remanded to appear at Cloverhill District Court.

Lee Dowling (27), with an address of Kilmartin Drive, Fettercairn, Tallaght, appeared before Tallaght District Court, facing a whole raft of petty theft charges.

Mr Dowling appeared in custody, as he is currently serving a two-year sentence in Mountjoy for a criminal damage offence, with early release a possibility on July 8, 2026.

An inordinate amount of charges were read out in court, most of which were committed in 2024 and for petty thefts.

At one stage, Judge Patricia McNamara asked why all the charges were being heard together.

Defence solicitor Michael Hennessy said it was his understanding that CCTV footage led to his client being nominated as suspect for one case of theft and “then the rest happened.”

“That’s why he accumulated all the charges,” said Mr Hennessy.

Among the theft charges read out in court were €206 worth of goods from a JT Sports in Tallaght on September 17, 2024, a theft of €317 from a Tesco in New Bancroft, Tallaght, on October 1, 2024, and stealing  €150 worth of confectionary at a Circle K on January 7, 2025.

Mr Hennessy said his client had been in care from a young age, his mother had a history of heroin abuse “which unfortunately normalised it for him.”

Dowling lived with his grandmother from the age of 10-18, but her death in 2023 led to his descent into a mire of drugs, cocaine, crack and heroin abuse.

Although he has a young child with his partner, Dowling became homeless due to his drug use.

Mr Hennessy said his client is doing well in prison, is off drugs and attending NA meetings regularly.

He acknowledged there was “no rhyme or reason” to some of the thefts citing a “bottle of detergent” and a “candle” that was among the charges.

Judge McNamara agreed given his young age and demeanour in court, that prison has been the “best thing to happen” for Mr Dowling, but only if he “doesn’t start committing offences” again when he gets out.

“He didn’t have best start in life, and you don’t want it to end up that way,” said Judge McNamara.

She remanded Dowling in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on December 17 by videolink, with a probation report to include drug treatment and the possibilities of referrals to drug treatment course if granted early release in July.

Funded by the Local Courts Reporting Scheme