‘Tourist’ guilty of stealing airfryer from Laois store
Image for illustration purposes
THERE are enough local shoplifters in Portlaoise without tourists coming to the town doing the same thing.
So Judge Andrew Cody said at the local district court last week when a man appeared before him for the theft of an air fryer from a local store.
When the case was called, solicitor for the defendant, Josephine Fitzpatrick, said that her client had spent the previous two days in custody and had been “in a poor state when he was in court on the first day.” Garda Insp Barry Houlihan said that on 9 February gardaí received a report of the theft of an air fryer to the value of €70 from the Lidl store in Portlaoise. He said the defendant was caught a short distance away and the item was recovered in a resaleable condition.
Sean Keenan (30), Rosse Court Heights, Balgaddy Road, Lucan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court heard the defendant had 119 previous convictions, with his most recent conviction on 5 July 2024.
“When I met him on Tuesday (in court), he wasn’t in great shape,” said Ms Fitzpatrick. “Thanks to the good work of the gardaí, the item was recovered.” Judge Andrew Cody said: “He’s a young man with 119 previous convictions.” He wanted to know: “Had he any other reason of being in Portlaoise, apart from stealing? We have enough of our own without tourists coming in to steal as well.” He went on to convict Mr Keenan of the offence and jailed him for six months.
Ms Fitzpatrick asked to fix recognisance if her client wished to appeal against the sentence.
Judge Cody commented: “He is the man that did a runner from the court (two days previously) and was arrested on the Main Street by gardaí.” The judge went in to fix an own bail recognisance of €2,000, a cash lodgement of €100 and an independent surety of €1,000.
