Man was wearing stolen jewellery

COCAINE addict Ger Connors (25) formerly of 12 Curracloe Holiday Villas, Ballinesker, Curracloe received a ten-month jail sentence for handling stolen jewellery.

The District Court was told that Connors – who already had more than 100 convictions against his name – had been pictured wearing the four gold rings and a bracelet.

Worth €3,000 combined, they went missing when the defendant was invited to a friend’s house and have never been returned to the rightful owner.

This was the latest in a series of charges facing Connors, whose mother and pregnant girlfriend were in court for the hearing.

Judge Bernadette Owens was given a summary of the facts by Garda Sergeant Brendan Costello after guilty pleas were entered.

In February of 2016, Garda Darrin Sane was called to the holiday villas in Curracloe where he witnessed a heated verbal argument between Ger Connors and his then girlfriend Josephine Browne in a public place.

In August of last year, gardaí on patrol searched the defendant and seized cannabis resin worth €100.

Though a disqualified driver at the time, he had a 1999 registered vehicle on the road without insurance and it too was impounded.

On November 7 last a report was received of criminal damage at the Courtyard on Bohreen Hill in Enniscorthy.

A window worth €250 had been shattered.

On the afternoon of May 7, a garda spotted Connors once more on the road, this time at the wheel of a 2007 registered Volkswagen Passat.

It was on May 11 that he was invited to the house of his friend John Murphy, only for the rings and bracelet to go missing.

The sergeant gave the court some details of the 111 previous convictions, which included counts of robbery and burglary as well as numerous motoring offences.

Speaking up for Connors was solicitor Tim Cummings who linked cocaine use to some of his client’s irrational behaviour.

Mr Cummings noted that his client left the scene of the argument in Curracloe when asked to do so by Garda Sane.

The court was assured that full compensation had been paid for the damage to the window in Enniscorthy.

The solicitor passed on apologies for the uninsured driving before suggesting that the defendant was not in his right mind in May.

‘His life has been destroyed by drug addiction and attendant criminality,’ commented Mr Cummings.’

Judge Owens allowed Connors the benefit of the Probation Act for the criminal damage but prescribed prison for other offences.

The cannabis drew a three month sentence and the first no insurance charge a four month sentence. The second no insurance matter merited four months consecutive with a 15 year driving ban. The handling charge attracted 10 months concurrent.

The court set recognisances to allow an appeal and €300 cash bail was produced before the end of the court sitting.

The sentenced man’s uncle Tom (or Thomas) Connors (49) from 13 Upper John Street in Wexford confirmed he was prepared to stand bail.

He said he was worried about his nephew because the young man had a drug problem.

Ger Connors was free to leave the courthouse after his appeal was lodged and bail bonds signed.