Longford man to spend over a year in prison following a number of thefts

A young man who finds himself at a “nadir in life” will serve over a year in prison for a number of theft offences he committed to fund his drug addiction.

Grant Rennie (27) of 1 Beechwood, Clonbalt Woods, Longford was before Longford District Court facing seven charges. Mr Rennie pleaded guilty before Judge Bernadette Owens to a string of thefts in Longford town.

The defendant was charged with trespass to commit theft at Spice India, Ballymahon Street, Longford between February 9 and 10, 2025, stealing clothes valued €104.30 from Penneys on February 2, stealing clothes to the value of €200 from Elverys, Athlone Rd, Longford on February 15, the theft of €132.50 worth of alcohol from Lidl Dublin Rd on February 21, stealing two cans of alcohol and chocolate costing €62.42 from Circle K, Main St, Ballymahon on February 20, theft of aftershave valued at €147.80 on December 2, 2024 from Lloyds Pharmacy, Longford.

The final charge was of public intoxication at Garvey's Yard, Longford on April 16, 2024. After Judge Owens accepted jurisdiction of the matters Sergeant Mark Mahon said the DPP consented to the summary disposal of all matters.

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Sergeant Mahon agreed with the defendant's solicitor, Frank Gearty, that there were “no particular aggravating factors” in the case.

The defendant had 28 previous convictions, one for burglary and nine for theft. Mr Gearty said his client was “highly educated” and previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry, but “succumbed to heroin addiction”.

Mr Gearty explained that Mr Rennie engaged with the Community Alcohol and Drug Services (CADS) and is now on a methadone programme: “He has made efforts to get out of addictions. The offences before the court would not have arisen except for his addiction.”

The solicitor said Mr Rennie had been off drugs and “got through Christmas”, however the “dark month of February” saw him slip back and this was a “matter of extreme regret”.

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Mr Gearty pointed out that his client was not looking to avoid the consequences of his addiction and had said when questioned by Gardaí he said: “I need to give myself and everyone else a break.”

Mr Gearty continued: “This is a shocking waste of a young life. He finds himself at this nadir in his life. He leaves himself in your hands. He wishes to take himself off the market for the people of Longford, who he has wronged.”

The solicitor said the defendant's drug use resulted in him requiring hospital treatment for infection to the track marks on his arms: “This is a sorry tale and he acknowledges his role.”

Judge Owens noted the defendant entered an early plea of guilty to all charges, and had not made any application for bail: “However Mr Rennie is in difficulty as the offence were committed while on a bench warrant, he has a number of similar previous convictions, and he has had the benefit of a suspended sentence.”

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The judge registered a conviction and imposed a six month custodial sentence for the trespassed to commit theft offence and a further five months for one of the theft charges, with the sentences to run consecutive to each other.

Judge Owens directed that a probation report be compiled before the matter of the triggered suspended sentence is concluded.