Longford pair in court on trespass and theft charges had little recollection of offences

Two defendants who were in such throes of addiction at the time of their offences, were unaware of certain facts relating to what they had done until they heard the details being recollected in court.

Appearing before a recent sitting of Longford District Court on separate charges was Michaela Hanafin of 20 Cnoc na Sí, Killashee, Longford, and Anthony Fitzpatrick of 43 Thomand Lodge, Ballymahon, Longford.

First before Judge Bernadattte Owens was 36-year-old Michaela Hanafin who was accused of having possession of stolen property, namely a pink tote bag, on September 12, 2024 and also for having trespassed at the Department of Social Protection on the Ballinalee Road in Longford on September 23, 2024.

In delivering a summary of events to the court, Sergeant for the State, Mark Mahon, explained how just before 8pm, Mullingar Gardaí received a report of people trying to break into cars at Blackhall Car Park and Church Avenue in Mullingar.

Said Sgt Mahon, “When Garda Maher arrived at the scene, he observed a male - Anthony Fitzpatrick - in the company of Michaela Hanafin who had a pink handbag on her person.

While speaking with both of these people, Garda Maher was approached by an injured person and he was told that the handbag belonged to her and it had been stolen from her car that was parked on Blackhall Lane.

She identified the handbag as her own. It was admitted at the scene that it was stolen by Anthony Fitzpatrick. Ms Hanafin admitted the handbag wasn’t hers. They were subsequently arrested for this offence.”

When asked by Judge Owens about the trespass charge, Sgt Mahon said he wanted to call Ms Hanafin’s co-accused, Anthony Fitzpatrick, who was also before the court on the same offence. Both pleaded guilty.

Giving evidence in court on the day, Garda James Donaldson said, “On the evening of September 23, 2024, Ms Hanafin and Mr Fitzpatrick entered the car park at the rear of the Department of Social Protection, Ballinalee Road, Longford, just after 6 that evening.

Having passed a sign saying ‘staff only’, they then bypassed a barrier that goes up and down to let the cars in and a sign stating that any unauthorised entry on these premises would be prosecuted.

Judge, they went into a camera blackspot for about 25 minutes, where both admitted to drug use.

After that, Michaela made her way to one of the cars in the car park, was looking in the window but she couldn’t get into that one.

She then made her way to another part of the car park and got into a car, she sat into it for five minutes. She then met up again with Mr Fitzpatrick and they left the premises. It was all captured on the CCTV, Judge.”

Dealing first with Ms Hanafin, Judge Owens asked if she had any previous convictions.

The court was told that while she had no previous convictions, she “did benefit from the Probation Act one month previously in relation to the theft matters.”

Representing both Ms Hanafin and Mr Anthony Fitzpatrick was solicitor John Anderson.

Said Mr Anderson, “Both herself and Mr Fitzpatrick have stopped taking drugs, and both for health reasons.”

He added that, “She is on disability allowance and tells me at the time she doesn’t recall the full facts. She’s coming to court and pleading guilty, Judge, but she was in the throes of a very bad addiction at that time.

We are asking that you are as lenient as possible. If you wish, Judge, she will engage with probation services if you feel it is needed at this time. She is sober and clean now, and I don’t believe she has come to the attention of the Gardaí since.”

Speaking with regard to Ms Hanafin’s charges, Judge Owens said she had noted what Mr Anderson had said in mitigation and that she was going to put the matter back to March 3.

She said if no further issues arose in the interim, then she “might apply section 1(2) of the Probation Act,” meaning she would consider imposing a punishment whereby a conviction is not recorded if the defendant complies with the probation conditions.

Up next before Judge Owens was Mr Anthony Fitzpatrick, who was also charged with trespassing “on the curtilage of a building, namely the private rear gated car park” at the Department of Social Protection on the Ballinalee Road in Longford, on September 23, 2024.

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