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No jail for "constantly in trouble" criminal caught "red-handed" with €11k in stolen goods
Summary
Gareth Joyce, 35, a recovering heroin addict with a long criminal record, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of stolen items worth over €11,000. He was caught on 16 October 2016 with a hedge trimmer, a Black & Decker drill and a gas cooker, each valued at €288, and on 6 October 2016 with a laptop, phones, foreign currency, a pearl necklace and other jewellery totalling €11,000. Forensic evidence linked his thumbprints to the stolen laptop. Joyce initially claimed the property was not his, saying it had been left at his brother's house by a party guest. He has 93 prior convictions, including burglary, handling stolen property, theft, criminal damage and trespass. The judge, citing his extensive criminal history and drug addiction, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, and imposed strict rehabilitation conditions. The sentence will be re‑activated if he fails to comply.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: No jail for "constantly in trouble" criminal caught "red-handed" with €11k in stolen goods. Charges or matters: possession of a hedge trimmer, a Black & Decker drill and a gas cooker all worth €288 at Delafort Drive, Dublin on October 16, 2016; possession of a laptop, phones, foreign currency, a pearl necklace and other jewellery with a combined value of €11,000 at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin on October 6 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 16, 2016 Incident
- October 6 2016 Incident
- 2017-11-14 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of a hedge trimmer, a Black & Decker drill and a gas cooker all worth €288 at Delafort Drive, Dublin on October 16, 2016; possession of a laptop, phones, foreign currency, a pearl necklace and other jewellery with a combined value of €11,000 at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin on October 6 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Greally sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended for a period of five years, and said he must continue to abstain from drugs and continue his rehabilitation treatment during this time. "I hope Mr Joyce realises that if he does not adhere to the very strict terms of this sentence it will be immediately re-activated," she said.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Delafort Drive
- Cushlawn Park
- Cushlawn Park
- Tallaght
Topics
Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Theft
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