Laois man pleads with judge - ‘Please, I'm begging you, don’t send me to prison’
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“I’M 30 years old. I’m a changed man. Please don’t send me to prison. All I’m looking for is one more chance. Please, I’m begging you, don’t send me to prison.” Those were the emotional pleas of a Portlaoise man who appeared before a recent sitting of the local district court, where he faced a number of charges arising from incidents that occurred last year.
The defendant urged the court to give him another opportunity, insisting that he had turned his life around and was determined to stay on the right path. Addressing the court directly, he repeatedly asked that he be spared a custodial sentence and be given a final chance to prove that he had changed.
The court heard details of the various offences before considering the appropriate sentence.
Bernard McDonagh from Ballyfin Road, Portlaoise was charged with being intoxicated at Main Street, Portlaoise on 18 September; the theft of groceries valued at €80 from Mulhall’s Supervalu, Lyster Square, Portlaoise on 10 October and groceries valued at €70 on 28 September; The theft of alcohol to the value of €19.75 from Dunne Stores, Portlaoise Shopping Centre, Mountmellick Road, Portlaoise on 15 July; theft of goods valued at €100 from Penny’s, Laois Shopping Centre, Portlaoise on 27 September.
Mr McDonagh was also charged with possessing €20 worth of cannabis for his own use when searched at Tullamore Garda station on 9 May. To being in an intoxicated state at Market Square, Portlaoise on 9 May; the theft of Nike Shorts and T shirt from Lifestyle Sports, Laois Shopping Centre, Portlaoise on 2 September and to the theft of alcohol to the value of €7.30 from The Off Licence, Portlaoise on 27 September.
The court heard that the defendant had 41 previous convictions, that ranged from assaults, thefts, burglaries and drugs.
“I’m pleading guilty to all the charges,” Mr McDonagh, told Judge Andrew Cody.
Mr McDonagh said: “I’m 30-years-old and am now back with my wife, Victoria. When I got out of prison, I was on heroin and crack cocaine. Every day I was angry and I was drinking. I have no recollection of many of the things that I did, because I was on drink and drugs. For the past two-years I’ve been in England and in the traveling community where they helped me to clean myself up. I was working in Wales. The first few weeks were really hard.
“But I’m a changed man,” said Mr McDonagh. “I haven’t been in trouble for over a year. Please don’t send me back to prison. All I’m asking for is one more chance. Please. I’m begging you. Give me one more chance. The guards will never have a problem with me ever again in Portlaoise.” Judge Cody asked Garda Sergeant Jason Hughes his views on Mr McDonagh’s pleading to which he replied: “I know that the root of his problems is in drink and drugs. I know that he lost his young daughter in an accident.” Mr McDonagh said: “I boxed for Ireland. I won six all-Ireland titles. I’ve apologised to most of the shops that I stole from, and I guarantee that I will pay them all back. I’ve changed my whole life around.
“I know the guards are really sick of me,” he said.
“What happened to my daughter hit me very hard and I will have to deal with that for the rest of my life. I’ll do anything Judge. Please. I don’t want to go back to prison.” Judge Cody remanded the defendant on his own bail of €100 to the 19 November sitting of the court on condition that he engages with the probation services and provides urine samples in July, August, September and October to indicate that he is free from all illicit substances.
He told Mr McDonagh: “Put your nose out of joint from now to November and you will be going back to Cloverhill (prison). The Paddy Wagon (prison transport van) will be wating for you outside the door to take you to Cloverhill.” “I’ll pay back all the shops. Thanks, your honour,” said Mr McDonagh.
