Portlaoise Court: Local man gets three months for stealing a bottle of alcohol
Portlaoise Courthouse
A PORTLAOISE man with 122 previous convictions was handed another conviction at the local district court last week, when he pleaded guilty to the theft of a €17.99 bottle of alcohol.
The case was held by video link from the Midlands Prison, where the defendant is currently serving a sentence and is due for release on 18 January next.
Before the court was 32-year-old PJ O’Shea, 20 O’Moore Place, Portlaoise, who pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at the Carryout Off Licence, Mountmellick Road, Portlaoise on 10 August.
The court heard that Mr O’Shea’s most recent conviction was at Portlaoise District Court on 15 April.
“He’s very well known to the court,” said the defendant’s solicitor Philip Meagher.
“He’s had difficulties with unsubscribed drugs and does well when he’s in prison. But when he comes out, he falls back into the same company again.”
Viewing Mr O’Shea on the monitor in the courtroom, Mr Meagher said: “He seems and looks to be well and appears to be clean (off drugs). He is in the gym as well.”
“Most of his thefts are of a minor nature – breakfast rolls and alcohol. He wasn’t living a particular lifestyle from his thefts. When he gets in a particular spiral, he’s in a bad way. He’s getting to an age now where he may be getting some sense.”
Judge Susan Fay convicted Mr O’Shea of the offence and sentenced him to three months in prison.
