Judge to consider 'resuspending' sentence imposed on Longford defendant

A judge will consider 'resuspending' a suspended sentence for a defendant who engaged positively with the probation services.

Grant Rennie (27) of 1 Beechwood, Clonbalt Woods, Longford was before Longford District Court to have the issue of a triggered suspended sentence resolved.

Mr Rennie received the suspended sentence in July, 2024 for the theft of goods to the value of €730 from DV8 Longford.

At a previous court sitting the defendant was convicted after pleading guilty before Judge Bernadette Owens to a string of thefts in Longford town.

In March Judge Owens registered a conviction and imposed a six month custodial sentence for the trespass to commit a theft offence and a further five months for one of the theft charges, with the sentences to run consecutive to each other.

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Prior to his last court appearance the defendant had 28 previous convictions, one for burglary and nine for theft.

Solicitor Frank Gearty previously described his client as “highly educated” and said that Mr Rennie worked in the pharmacy industry, but “succumbed to heroin addiction”.

On Tuesday, the legal representative said a probation report on his client recommended that he should go for residential addiction treatment.

Mr Gearty stated Mr Rennie has "cooperated in a very full way" and he receptive to complying with the conditions recommended in the probation report and he is eager to go for residential treatment. 

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Judge Owens heard the defendant was due to be released on November 26 and she said the probation report was hopeful and positive'.

"I want to consider resuspending the sentence subject to supervision by the probation service.," she added.

"Such a resuspension would be consecutive obviously to the sentence he is currently serving and it would only come into affect on his release," Judge Owens, who stated she would finalise the case this week, added.