YOUNG BURGLAR WHO AVOIDED JAIL IS ON HIS ‘LAST CHANCE’

AN ARREST warrant was not required to bring a 20-year-old before Wexford Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing.

Lorcan Morrissey with an address at Aclare, Campile, turned up to face Judge Martin Nolan before the warrant issued last year could be executed.

On several previous occasions the court was told by solicitor Ed King that Morrissey could not be present as he was working at sea as a fisherman.

The case dated back to May 20 in 2019 when a burglary occurred at the home of the Howlin family in Ballysop.

Richard Howlin was woken in the early hours of the date in question by a noise.

He was concerned for his 95-year-old mother but it turned out that she was asleep and that the sound was caused by intruders.

He discovered three men leaving the house with his television and it turned out that cash had been stolen from his car outside.

The trio were followed to Aclare where they dodged into a field to evade the householder.

However, the gardaí had more luck when they arrived, tracking down the culprits hiding in a shed.

One of the three was a juvenile, the second had not yet been brought to court but Morrissey was prosecuted.

All of the stolen property was recovered, Sergeant Ray Heffernan reported.

Barrister Emmet Whitmore passed on his client’s apology to the Howlin family for what he described as a stupid mistake.

Judge Nolan noted that the defendant’s father was present at the hearing before deciding to suspend a two year sentence.

Morrissey agreed to collect €3,000 compensation for the Howlins.

‘You are on your last chance,’ the judge warned, telling the offender that if convicted once more he was likely to end up in prison. ‘ To burgle is a serious matter.’