Three bags with stolen goods and 116 previous convictions

THOMAS NOLAN (30) with an address at Ounavarra Road in Courtown was before the District Court on charges of burglary and handling stolen property.

The court heard how Nolan – a father of three children – was found at Market Square with two shopping bags on June 9 last.

They contained goods stolen from Lloyd’s Pharmacy and EuroGiant by someone else.

The following day, he was arrested at 11A Redwill Lane in Gorey after gardaí received a call from the rightful occupier of the property.

Nolan had been found upstairs having apparently broken in through a window, which was damaged to the tune of €300.

Garda Sergeant Mairea Brophy reported to Judge John Cheatle that the accused had a record of 116 previous convictions.

While most of these were for road traffic offences, the list included two counts of burglary, the most recent imposed last year.

Defending solicitor David Tarrant reckoned that the offences being considered occurred when Nolan was in ‘a very bad way’, as he put it.

The defendant was now on a methadone programme, looking healthy and staying out of trouble.

Mr Tarrant reckoned that the house in Redwill Lane was vacant at the time, when Nolan had been recently discharged from prison.

Judge Cheatle decided to adjourn the case for a probation report and he asked the sergeant to find out whether the home owner wished to make any submissions to the court.