Notorious Gorey thief sentenced to 18 months

A man who pleaded guilty to a total of twelve counts of theft, many of which were committed while on bail, pleaded for the court’s leniency after he was brought before Judge Gerard Haughton at the District Court last week.

Thomas Hendy (36), currently serving a sentence at Cloverhill Prison but with a previous address at Riverchapel Court, Riverchapel, was represented on the day by solicitor John O’Donovan who said that his client wished to finalise matters on the day and move on with his rehabilitation.

The twelve theft charges dated from between May 25 and August 11 of this year and saw him take an array of items from shops in the Gorey and Wexford areas. The list of stores hit ranged from Iceland, Pettitt’s and AppleGreen to Heatons, Hickey’s Pharmacy and both O’Brien’s Sandwich bars in Wexford town.

The biggest amount taken in a single outing was at Hickey’s Pharmacy on August 11, where he stole aftershave and perfume valued at €1,169. Grocery items, clothes and beer made up the majority of items stolen, while at both O’Brien’s Sandwich Bars in Wexford on July 19 he stole tip jars, the first containing €15 and the second €40.

Hendy was also charged with two counts of public intoxication, the first dating from May 18 at Main Street, Gorey, where he was also charged with engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour, the second at Pearse Street, Gorey, on May 25.

Mr O’Donovan stated that Hendy was currently in the custody of Cloverhill Prison where he was serving a sentence in relation to other theft matters and was due for release on March 7 of next year. A long list or previous convictions was read out for the court which included theft, assault, public order, and production of an article, many of which had seen him already serve custodial sentences.

Mr O’Donovan said that his client suffered from ‘chronic addiction’ to drugs and alcohol. He said that he had started drinking aged 12 and had gotten into trouble at school. A difficult family background, he said, contributed to matters, but he pointed out that Hendy had a wonderful talent for art and had worked at this in the UK for a short time.

He said that his client was making real efforts to get his life together on this occasion and asked that, at least some of the sentences be suspended and that any custodial sentence be back-dated to when he entered custody on September 2.

Hendy’s solicitor also pointed out that he had been homeless for a time and that he had recently discovered that he is the father of a child that he did not know about. Hendy said that his sole focus now is staying out of prison and building a relationship with the child.

‘I’d ask the court to please give him a light at the end of the tunnel,’ Mr O’Donovan said.

‘I’m sure all of this was said earlier this year when he got a suspended sentence,’ said Judge Haughton. ‘But his good intentions only lasted two months before he came to garda attention again. It’s very easy to have good intentions on the day you’re being sentenced. Since 2003 he has had the opportunity to sort himself out. Fifteen years later, he’s still making promises.’

Judge Haughton pointed out that on March 26, Hendy had been handed a 10 month suspended sentence on 17 charges consisting of theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order.

‘Exactly six weeks later, he committed the first of the offences that I’m dealing with here,’ the Judge said. ‘His good intentions didn’t last.’

Judge Haughton then pointed out that a number of the offences before the court were committed while the defendant was on bail.

‘There comes a time when the courts have to look at the protection of the public and prevention of further offences ahead of the rehabilitation of the defendant,’ Judge Haughton concluded. ‘He has a long history with the courts and while I accept that the offences are relatively minor in nature, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t serious, particularly when you take his previous convictions into consideration.’

On the first count of theft, Judge Haughton handed Hendy 9 months in prison, back dated to September 2 when he first began his current spell in custody. On the first theft he committed while on bail, he handed the defendant a further nine months in jail to be served consecutively with the previous sentence. The remainder of the charges were taken into consideration.

In total, Hendy was given 18 months in prison, back dated to September 2.