Judge hopes man gets his act together

A MAN WHO admitted to a number of break-ins and criminal damage was sentenced to a total of 12 months in prison.

Daniel Nangle (25) of 29 Heatherwood, appeared in Bray District Court on Thursday, May 24.

Inspector Seamus Rothwell outlined the facts of the offences. On October 2, 2017, a resident of a Bray housing estate saw muddy prints in their garden. They looked at CCTV and Nangle was seen climbing over the back wall and into a neighbour’s property.

On July 12, 2017, he broke into a house on Enniskerry Lane with two occupants, some time between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.

On July 8, 2017, Nangle and a woman were seen in People’s Park in Bray at around 10 p.m. Nangle swallowed tablets and threw items into the Dargle. He was searched and gardai found €10 worth of cannabis. He was also found with €6 worth of cannabis on October 17.

He carried out a theft at Mountainview Drive.

Solicitor Brendan Maloney said that his client has serious drug issues. He was in care from the age of one.

At the age of 24 he met his father for the first time but it did not turn out to be a happy occasion and he went off the rails after a period of stability.

He said that Nangle’s crimes are a direct result of his difficulties with drugs and desperation to feet his habit.

He considers himself institutionalised and some of his best and most stable times have been in custody.

Mr Maloney said that in some of the cases before the court, Nangle simply had no recollection.

Judge David Kennedy said that while he has sympathy for Nangle’s history, in the cases where other people were involved, they woke up at night to noise and must have gotten a terrible fright.

He noted that Nangle had written a letter to the judge. ‘It’s from the heart all right,’ he said. ‘He has a young child and wants to settle down, but there has to be a penalty.’

He sentenced 12 months for each of the burglaries, nine for a theft, and six months criminal damage as well as four months for obstruction, with all sentences to run concurrently.

‘I really home he manages to get his act together,’ said Judge Kennedy.