Schoolbreak-in ‘adisgrace’

Haroldas Gakonis, 153 Waterville Crescent, Tom Bellew Avenue, made a €300 donation to Turas counselling service.

He pleaded guilty to the offence which occurred at Dublin Road on 17 March, 2018.

Evidence was given that gardaí spotted a taxi driving at speed on Hoey’s Lane in the direction of the Dublin Road.

The vehicle was stopped. Gakonis was one of the occupants. He appeared quite nervous, and when searched, had a small bag of white powder in the waistband of his trousers.

Inspector Liam Archbold added it was €50-worth of cocaine.

Solicitor Peter Lavery said his client has no previous convictions and there has been no trouble since.

He works part-time as a labourer and his good record is important to him.

Judge McKiernan said he was a very foolish man, and warned Gakonis he would only get one chance.

The charge was struck out. threatening to gardaí.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to charges of intoxication in public and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour which arose as a result.

McDonagh is presently serving an eightmonth sentence and has a 21 April, 2020 release date.

Solicitor Frank McDonnell asked that his client’s time inside not be extended.

The judge agreed to that. She imposed a four-month sentence from the day of the court.

‘To break into a school is an absolute disgrace,’ Judge McKiernan has remarked as she reviewed the case of Thomas McDonagh (57), 8 Cooley Park, who previously admitted trespass and other charges arising out of an incident at Realt na Mara NS on 8 August, 2018.

At the last hearing the matter was put back for a community service report on the defendant who has 123 previous convictions.

‘I certainly wouldn’t have given community service, but I’m stuck with it,’ the judge said.

She added McDonagh has an horrendous record.

Solicitor Frank McDonnell said his client is a carer for his brother. He lives a straitened life. He is fit for community service.

A sentence of 220 hours community service was imposed in lieu of nine months imprisonment.

McDonagh told gardaí he was looking for scrap metal after he was located on the school building site at 7.40pm on the date in question.

He was wearing a hi-vis jacket and had climbed a wall. He brought tools with him.

The defendant was spotted on CCTV walking around the site while looking at machines and the building.