Longford man jailed for eight months for thefts spree

A former porter in a top five star hotel who fell foul of a chronic drugs habit has been jailed for eight months after carrying out a string of theft and criminal damage offences in Longford town.

Thirty-six-year-old Mark Kelly, of Camlin Mews, Longford, pleaded guilty at last week’s sitting of Longford District Court to carrying out five incidents of shoplifting and two further episodes of criminal damage at various retail outlets in the county town between March 25 and April 16 this year.

Presiding Judge John Brennan was told father of four Mr Kelly had, until recently, been working as a porter in the luxurious Co Clare resort of Dromoland Castle before returning to Longford following the deaths of both his parents during a relatively short space of time.

It was during that period, the court heard that Mr Kelly succumbed to a heroin addiction he had previously managed to keep on top of.Sgt Mark Mahon, in outlining the State’s case, said the first incident to be reported to gardaí came on March 25 when Mr Kelly entered Taipan Restaurant, a Chinese and Thai eatery at 57 Dublin Street during the early hours of March 25.

He said the accused broke into the second floor premises via a bathroom in the ladies toilet before proceeding to open a till.

It was revealed that once inside, Mr Kelly snatched four AIB money bags containing various amounts of coinage totalling €200.
Hours later, Mr Kelly attempted to prise open a parking car meter, causing €600 worth of damage in the process.

The following night, the Longford man returned to Taipan Restaurant by again breaking through a window.

On this occasion, the window was damaged, resulting in a €200 repair bill while Mr Kelly escaped with just two cans of coke and a solitary €2 coin.

CCTV later taken and observed from the scene identified Mr Kelly with the accused later admitting to gardaí in interview as to his culpability.

Just two days later, Mr Kelly was again identified and this time apprehended by security staff shortly after 2pm at Dunnes Stores, Dublin Road, Longford when attempting to steal a number of items underneath his jacket. 

A further shoplifting offence committed by Mr Kelly took place at Lloyds Pharmacy, 2 Longford Shopping Centre on April 12.
That incident, the court heard, led to the theft of two bottles of perfume, worth a combined €70.

On a date unknown between March 24 and April 10 at Crossan Electrical Car Park, Main Street, Longford, Mr Kelly was identified on CCTV damaging two parking meters to the value of over €5,700.

Sgt Mahon said Mr Kelly had 33 previous convictions to his name, 31 of which were for theft related offences. He said the most recent theft offence came at Longford District Court in January 2021 for an offence some two years earlier.

That offence, the court heard was “taken into consideration” alongside half a dozen other theft matters.

One of the six charges, it was confirmed led to the handing down of a six month prison sentence, suspended for a period of 12 months.

In defence, John Quinn, handed in a psychiatric report as he told how the case presented before him on behalf of his client was a particularly "sorrowful" one."

He said: “Mark had been doing extremely well,” noting that in the past he had been a chronic drug addict.

He said his client had been making a life for himself and his partner, who had recently given birth to two sets of twins, but explained how personal anguish brought about by the loss of both his parents led to him returning to Longford and slipping back into old habits.

"Unfortunately, he relapsed and got back on the heroin which led to all these incidents," he said.

"He had bettered himself considerably and has a partner down in Dromoland Castle where they have two sets of twins.

"Both are in gainful employment and are very well regarded in that particular hotel and hopefully after completing his sentencing, he hopes to go back down there."

Mr Quinn said it was nothing short of a "travesty" for Mr Kelly that his former past should once again resurface at a time when he was going through such personal hardship with the loss of both his parents.

In a bid to demonstrate his sincerity to the court, Judge Brennan heard how Mr Kelly was anxious to enter into a rigid addiction treatment programme to try and put paid to his dependency problems once and for all.

Judge Brennan replied, saying while he appreciated that sense of perspective, he said the retailers affected by Mr Kelly's actions had suffered significant financial loss as a consequence.

"All I can say is that he has been a very sick man," interjected Mr Quinn.

Mr Kelly, who sat motionless for much of last Tuesday's sentencing hearing, had been in custody since April 18, it emerged.

Judge Brennan, who rose for a number of minutes to read a victim impact statement from the owners of Taipan Restaurant, said he had been taken aback by the strength of its contents.

"It is a very strongly worded victim impact statement and refers to other businesspeople in Longford," he said.

"There is a rash of incidents and lawbreaking which brings matters up to a serious level."

Judge Brennan said given the knock on effects episodes of such a nature have on a business' day to day costs and likely affect break-ins have on insurance premiums, "a message needed to be sent out on behalf of the business community".

He said the court was cognisant of Mr Kelly's early guilty pleas as well as how all of the offences before the court came with the same underlying current of addiction issues as being a primary catalyst.

Judge Brennan also said he was conscious Mr Kelly's offending had been exacerbated while other "stronger parties" lurked in the background.

He consequently sentenced Mr Kelly to eight months in prison for the first Taipan Restaurant trespass charge.

A further eight month sentence was also handed down for the Lloyds Pharmacy theft, a term which he ordered to be served consecutively.

The entire duration of that term was suspended for 12 months on the proviso Mr Kelly follow all guidelines given to him on behalf of the probation service within seven days of his release from prison.

He was also instructed to commence and complete any course, including those for addiction purposes as directed by the probation services.