Paint-thrower caught after appearing on RTÉ
A MAN who claimed a row over parking was the reason he threw industrial paint over a house, costing the homeowners over €18,000 to remove, has avoided jail.
Leroy Farrelly, 46, was identified as the culprit after CCTV footage was shown on the CrimeCall programme.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that in the aftermath of the incident the homeowners had no idea why their home had been targeted or who would have done it.
Farrelly, of Mayeston Drive, St Margaret’s Road, Finglas, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a property at Clonliffe Road in Dublin on March 9, 2020. He has four previous convictions
The prosecuting garda told the court that industrial paint was thrown over the front of the dwelliing, includ ing the windows. The home owners were no insured against this damage
High-quality CCTV footage was captured of the incident and Farrelly was identified after it aired on RTE.
In her victim impact statement, the homeowner told the court that the incident had struck genuine fear into their family
The garda agreed with defence counsel Patrick McCarthy that Farrelly’s early guilty plea had been useful as the homeowners had got some clarity as to who had done what.
Mr McCarthy said his client had written a letter of apology and had brought the sum of €1,900 to offer as compensation. He said on the day, his client was taking medication for a slipped disc and had lost his dog. He had an argument with a man over parking and took out his frustration and angst out on this person.
Counsel said Farrelly, a married father of three, was hardworking and was the main breadwinner in his family. Mr McCarthy said his client is now seeing a counsellor and doing his best to address the underlying issues that caused him to behave in such a manner.
After hearing the evidence, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to consider the matter. He said the victims had suffered significantly as a result of ‘this bad-tempered act’ but noted that Farrelly was a man of responsibilities and this was his one fall from grace in 25 years.
Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Nolan said Farrelly had committed the crime ‘out of malice or some type of vengeance’. The judge said: ‘It is inexplicable that a grown man would behave in such an immature way, but he did.’
He said the homeowner was very proud of her house, ‘with good reason’ and the house doesn’t look as good now because of the damage.
Judge Nolan said the mitigation in the case was clear in terms of Farrelly’s plea of guilty, remorse, and lack of relevant criminal convictions, and he imposed a three-year suspended sentence.
He ordered that €2,200 Farrelly had in court be offered to the victim and gave him 12 months to raise another €7,800, should she accept it.