Latest news with #ProbationAct
Sunday World
14-06-2025
- Sunday World
Mum-of-two who stole €961 perfume from Arnotts had ‘lost her mind'
Sylvia Dorcu (48) had never been in trouble before she carried out the theft in Dublin city centre. A mother of two caught shoplifting more than €900 worth of perfume from a department store had 'lost her mind' on the day, her defence said. Sylvia Dorcu (48) had never been in trouble before she carried out the theft in Dublin city centre. Judge Michele Finan gave her the benefit of the Probation Act, leaving her without a recorded conviction after she made a €500 charity donation. Dorcu, with an address at Merchant's Square, Merchant's Road, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to theft. Dublin District Court heard she went to Arnotts on Henry Street on April 14 and passed all points of payment with €961 worth of perfume. She was stopped by security and €305 worth of the perfume had been unpacked from the box and could not be resold. The rest was recovered in a saleable condition. Dorcu had no previous convictions. The accused, from Romania, had been in Ireland for six years, had not been in trouble before and 'lost her mind' at the time of the theft, her solicitor Peter Connolly said, asking the judge for leniency. Applying the Probation Act, Judge Finan said if Dorcu reoffended she would be made aware of the chance she had got. She granted free legal aid for the accused, who was assisted by an interpreter. Arnotts. Stock image Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 14 2025
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Irish Independent
‘Appalling behaviour' by Louth man who soiled himself
Robert Quinn (42), Rockfield, Stoney Lane, Ardee, pleaded guilty to damaging the vehicle, using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour or words, failing to provide a garda with his name and address and resisting a peace officer in the execution of his duty. Evidence was presented that at 1am on May 11 last Gardaí were alerted to two groups of men fighting at Bridge Street, Ardee. The defendant, who was among them, had earlier been given a direction to leave the area. He was 'highly intoxicated' and was arrested. It was the belief of Gardaí that he deliberately soiled himself in the patrol car. He was also spitting and kicking. It cost €200 to clean the vehicle which represented the damage charge. Barrister Eoghan Fagan said that Mr Quinn was due to begin work as a cleaner. He held three Degrees including for Cultural Studies. A father of one he was engaging with Turas Counselling Service. He wanted to pay compensation. There were no previous convictions. 'The description of the behaviour that night is appalling. The behaviour is appalling,' Judge Gráinne Malone remarked. The court gave Mr Quinn until Ardee Court on September 12 to pay €500 compensation to the Gardaí and €500 to Dundalk Women's Aid to get the benefit of the Probation Act.
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Man delivering drugs to wrong house in Youghal was caught by doorbell video footage
A man who posted three packages of cocaine through the letterbox of the wrong house in Youghal, Co Cork, was identified from footage recorded by the property's video doorbell, the district court has heard. Court presenter Sergeant Majella O'Sullivan told Youghal District Court that the incident occurred on December 23, 2023. A resident in the town discovered three plastic bags containing white powder that had been posted through their letterbox. It was later confirmed that the bags contained cocaine. The court was told that the accused man, Jack Kenneally, aged 24 of Raheen Park in Youghal was identified putting the packages through the letterbox by footage recorded on a video doorbell. Following his identification, a warrant was obtained to search Mr Kenneally's address where quantities of cocaine and cannabis were found in his bedroom. The total value of the drugs seized was €238 in cocaine and €20 in cannabis. The court heard that Mr Kenneally had made full admissions and had no previous convictions. The court was told that on the night in question he had been out drinking with friends and was asked to drop the packages off as a favour. The court heard that he was 'highly embarrassed' by what had happened and had not been in trouble since. Judge Brian O'Shea said the incident sounded like 'something from a YouTube video'. He said that as the incident with the letterbox was a first offence he would give Mr Kenneally the benefit of the Probation Act. For the drugs found at his home he was convicted and fined €500 for the cocaine and given six months to pay. The cannabis was taken into consideration. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Sunday World
05-06-2025
- Sunday World
Garda assaulted teen joyrider with ‘gratuitous' knee to stomach as he arrested him
The youth had already surrendered following a pursuit and was being restrained when Garda Dean Chapman struck him with 'no need', a court heard A garda assaulted a teenage joyrider with a 'gratuitous' knee to the stomach as he arrested him after a 'highly reckless' road rampage around a busy shopping centre. The youth had already surrendered following a pursuit and was being restrained when Garda Dean Chapman struck him with 'no need', a court heard. Chapman (35), who has since left the force and is now a firefighter and paramedic, pleaded guilty when he appeared in Dublin District Court. Judge Aine Clancy applied the Probation of Offenders Act, sparing him a recorded conviction, after he made a €1,000 charity donation. Chapman admitted assaulting the teenager at an address in west Dublin following a road chase around the Blanchardstown Centre on January 22, 2023. The court heard the car was stolen in Tipperary and was driven dangerously in a garda pursuit which ended when it was abandoned in the shopping centre. The teenager was arrested at a nearby house and Chapman placed a hand on his shoulder before bringing him to the ground. When the youth was being brought back to his feet, Chapman kneed him in the abdominal area. The garda air support unit had been involved in the pursuit and the helicopter footage was played to the court, showing the car being driven at speed through traffic on a busy afternoon at the Blanchardstown Centre. Chapman, who had no previous convictions, was involved in the pursuit from the M50 and the court had seen an example of 'what can only be described as highly reckless and dangerous driving' by the stolen car, his barrister said. Garda Dean Chapman. Photo: Collins Courts News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025 He had witnessed this before the encounter with the teenager who was 'previously known to the gardai and had not been compliant with them.' This was to the forefront of Chapman's mind when he struck the victim in a 'momentary aberration of character.' The victim was now serving a prison sentence. Chapman had worked in the gardai for four years as well in the defence forces and had an 'exemplary record.' The assault incident was one factor in Chapman's decision to resign from the gardai. The lawyer asked the judge to consider the effect a conviction would have for someone like Chapman, who was dealing with the public on a daily basis. The court heard he had one child and another on the way. Judge Clancy said she had seen the 'horrendous' driving that took place in the lead up to the assault. 'It's a knee to the abdomen of the injured party, it was gratuitous, he was already restrained and there was no need to do that,' she said. However, she dismissed the charge under the Probation Act after the €1,000 donation was made.
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Judge to consider prison sentence for Cork man who tried to choke his wife
A woman tearfully described on Thursday how her husband tried to choke her in the family home and made highly personally insults to her. Judge Philip O'Leary said that after hearing of one incident when the woman was in fear the day after she was granted a protection order, he might have dealt with the matter under the Probation Act, but he said it was made much more serious by this second incident where the man assaulted his wife. 'This second matter may merit a prison sentence. I will put it back for a probation report and maybe an assessment for his suitability for a community service order,' Judge O'Leary said. The judge told the defendant's solicitor Pat Mullins that he should impress on the 37-year-old man the seriousness of the situation and the importance of co-operating with the probation service. The two cases against the same defendant were heard at an in-camera hearing of Cork District Court to deal with matters under the Domestic Violence Act. Two incidents Garda Clare Sheehan agreed under cross-examination that the first incident on September 10, 2024, was verbal but that it was serious enough that the complainant felt it necessary to lock herself into her bedroom. The victim said that her husband reacted when he became aware that she had obtained a protection order, saying: 'How dare you take out a protection order… My life is over. So is yours. You are a whore.' He denied saying this and said that his wife had anger management issues and that he had a protection order against her too. Garda David Ahern said of the second more recent incident that he responded to a 999 call about an alleged breach of a protection order. The injured party said that after an argument: 'He grabbed my neck and tried to choke me. He pushed me and I hit my head on the radiator. He sat on to me and said something really bad about my private area.' The defendant denied all of this and said she was the one who slapped him in the face and that previously he was hospitalised after an incident at home. He said of her evidence: 'It is all a fabricated story. It is all made up. It is not genuine.' Judge O'Leary convicted him on both breaches of the protection order. Sentencing was adjourned until September 11 to allow time for a probation report.
