Man (28) who set fire to car on town centre street is jailed for six months

A 28-year-old man who set fire to a car has been sentenced to a total of 10 months imprisonment, with four months suspended, when he pleaded guilty at the district court to several charges arising from separate incidents in Drogheda last year.

Aaron Havern, Harpur House, William Street, Drogheda, has 104 previous convictions, and was addicted to crack cocaine and heroin at the time, his solicitor pointed out.

Court presenter Sgt John O’Hehir said that on March 14, 2023, in Fair Street the inside of a Volkswagen car was set on fire and the air bags deployed. CCTV showed the defendant doing it. No value of the damage was available.

The same day, gardaí on mobile patrol saw a male knocking over wheelie bins and kicking them onto Windmill Road. He became abusive to the guards.

On July 5, Mr Havern set a bin alight in front of the Ice Cream Store, Laurence Street, causing €300 damage to a sign.

Then, on July 24, at Chord Road gardaí saw the accused acting suspiciously. There was a smell of cannabis from him.

He was searched. A kitchen knife with a 5-inch blade, a Lynx body care set, six pairs of sunglasses, one pair of prescription glasses and a woman’s watch were found.

On August 16 it was reported to gardaí that a man was attempting to get into parked vehicles in Maple Drive. The defendant was discovered hiding behind a car in the front driveway of a house.

He also admitted public order charges from June 18 and August 3, while on August 18 he stole €30-worth of sandwiches and drinks from Dealz.

There was a new charge sheet in respect of theft of child’s medicine worth €8 from Peter Street Pharmacy and two charges for failing to appear in court.

Solicitor Dermot Monahan said his client has been clean since going into Cloverhill Prison on January 16 last. He was doing a course there.

He had been addicted to crack cocaine and heroin.

Mr Havern was very attached to his son. He had been allocated a house but lost it after going into custody. However, he remained on a Housing First programme.

Mr Monahan added that the defendant had complex needs and asked the court to give him ‘some light at the end of the tunnel’.

Judge McKiernan remarked that the criminal damage matters were particularly serious.

Consecutive two-month sentences were imposed for arson at Fair Street, criminal damage at Laurence Street and possession of stolen property at Chord Road, six months in total, backdated to January 16.

Mr Havern also received a consecutive four-month term for theft at Dealz, which was suspended for 12 months subject to him engaging with the Probation Service.

Other charges were taken into consideration, and legal aid granted.