Suspended sentence for man who stole €38k worth of rings

ROMANIAN HAS LIVED HERE FOR 22 YEARS BUT NEVER WORKED

A Romanian man who stole €38,000 worth of rings from a North Cork jewellers would be going to jail only for the catastrophic effect it would have on his wife for whom he acts as a carer, declared a judge as he imposed a five year suspended prison sentence on the man.

Roman Costica, a 44 year old father of four who has lived in Ireland for the past 22 years but never worked here, pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to the theft of €38,000 worth of rings from Barnes Jewellers at Patrick Street in Fermoy, on August 15, 2017.

Det Garda Denis Ryan told the court how Costica spent some time casing the premises including going into the shop on three separate occasions prior to the theft when he watched staff members open the door on a glass case to access rings on display in the window.

Costica snatched a tray containing 14 18 carat gold rings when the door to the glass case was momentarily left open and he fled the shop but he was caught on CCTV footage and gardai were able to identify him and trace him to his home at Cannonbridge Avenue in Lucan, Co Dublin.

Det Garda Ryan said Costica told gardai as they brought him back to Fermoy for questioning that he had sold the rings to a Lithuanian for €1,700 to pay a gambling debt but he later said he was “only messing” when he said that and he made no admissions during interview.

Gardai recovered three rings worth €6,000 and the jewellers had to resort to their insurance to get compensation for the theft and their insurance premium had gone up hugely as a consequence, Det Garda Ryan told the court.

He said that Costica had a conviction from Ballymena Magistrates Court in 2014 when he stole money from a casino for which he was given a three years suspended sentence while he also had a conviction for theft from Kilmainham District Court in 2001.

Det Garda Ryan said that Costica – who was assisted during the hearing by an interpreter – had been in Ireland for 22 years but had never worked here and was in receipt of social welfare as he was a carer for his wife who suffered from multiple health issues.

Defence barrister, David Fleming BL asked Judge Gerard O’Brien to be as lenient as possible in the light of his client’s guilty plea and the fact that he was a full time carer for his wife who suffers from an autoimmune disease as well as respiratory and mobility issues.

“He is very sorry about his crime and he is very embarrassed and is cognisant of the results that his action could have on his family,” said Mr Fleming adding that Costica has four children aged 8, 11, 14 and 19.

Judge O’Brien noted that Costica had saved the state the expense of a trial by his guilty plea and there were no particularly aggravating factors other than the value of the stolen property and a certain level of premeditation involved in the theft. He noted that Mr Fleming had submitted that his client was deeply remorseful and he was also cognisant of Costica’s previous criminal record while the probation service report was not particularly positive and found that he was at a medium to high risk of re-offending.

He also noted that Costica had a gambling problem and that he was a full time carer for his wife and while he believed that the offence would usually merit a five years sentence, he was prepared to suspend it on a number of conditions including that he address his gambling problems.

He also made it a condition of the suspension that Costica sever all links with his gambling associates and any other negative influences and he should remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for the full five years of the suspension.

“You can tell your client, Mr Fleming, that it is because of the catastrophic effect it would have on his wife and children that he is not going to jail,” said Judge O’Brien as he imposed the five year suspended term.