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5-year sentence for criminal's 50th burglary not too severe, court finds
Summary
Christopher Cummins, 37, of Cherry Park, River Valley, Swords, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for his fiftieth burglary conviction. The offence involved the theft of €12,000 from a health store in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre on 31 October 2015, when a safe was left unlocked and an employee was distracted. Cummins had 139 prior convictions, including 49 burglaries, and had been released from a four‑year sentence the day before the Liffey Valley robbery. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Judge Pat McCartan on 21 July 2016. Cummins appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal, with Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, stating that a harsher sentence might have been upheld and that the five‑year term was not unduly severe. The court noted Cummins' extensive criminal record and the seriousness of the theft. The appeal was rejected.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 5-year sentence for criminal's 50th burglary not too severe, court finds. Charges or matters: burglary of a health store in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre on October 31, 2015. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- October 31, 2015 Incident
- July 21, 2016 Incident
- May 2014 Incident
- 2017-05-05 Publication
Why: That sum has not been recovered and the insurance company declined to meet the claim because of the breach of security protocol. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: burglary of a health store in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre on October 31, 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years imprisonment by Judge Pat McCartan on July 21, 2016. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, said the Court of Appeal could not see how the sentence imposed could be suggested to be unduly severe.
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