Man ‘given every chance’ by judge but didn’t take it

A 20-year-old man, who Judge Kevin Kilrane admitted was given every chance, kept reoffending and was handed a 22 month prison sentence at Thursday’s sitting of Sligo District Court. Conor Cox, of Willow Park, Maugheraboy was before the court charged with 50 offences, which he pleaded guilty to. The judge said he was not sure what drove Cox to commit so many crimes, dating from 2017 right up to the present time. The various offences range from assault causing harm, assault, criminal damage, larceny, possession of a weapon, affray, theft, criminal damage to a car, numerous public order and road traffic offences. His latest offence was on February 2nd last, where he was charged with driving without having insurance and a driver’s licence at Maugheraboy.

Defending solicitor Mr Gerard McGovern admitted it was a mystery in relation to his client. He said he often meets him at the Showgrounds and he is a nice young lad but when he turns to drink and possibly something else, something comes over him. He said his mother could easily have washed her hands of him but she never misses a court sitting and how it was hoped when he got work in England that things might change but this wasn’t the case. He told the judge that he had given him all the chances but he kept coming back before him. He said he didn’t know what clicks in Cox to commit offences, his mother indicated he had a difficult childhood in education. He said Cox wants to look into work in the building trade but that he has these charges to face first and said they were in the judge’s hands.

Judge Kilrane said he failed to understand Cox who was given every chance since 2017 and was given a warning with a week here and there in prison, to get a taste for prison to find that it was not a hotel. He said he was hoping prison would change Cox, but not only did it not change him it made him worse. He said the 20-year-old knew sentencing was coming up on Thursday but he still went out on February 2nd driving without a licence and running away from gardaí. He said unfortunately he doesn’t have great hope for Cox’s rehabilitation. “He say he wants to start a new life, but I don’t have much faith,” the judge said. He said he was not prepared to suspend any part of the sentence. Mr McGovern said it was his calculation that Cox had spent three and a half to 4 months in jail and he asked if he could suspend 2 months but told the judge it was in his hands. Judge Kilrane said in the normal way he would suspend if the defendants come out of prison and don’t reoffend but Mr Cox had been given so many chances. He said it was the last thing he wanted to do sending him to prison but he said every road had been travelled in relation to Cox. A further robbery charge was adjourned to March 13th at Harristown District Court.