Courts / Dublin / Report
Jail for chronic addict who stole rental car
Summary
Alan McDonagh, 33, was jailed for four years after stealing a rental car fitted with a tracking device. He pleaded guilty to burglary and unauthorised taking of a car on September 8, 2017, and was tracked by gardaí to the N7. McDonagh, who has 173 previous convictions including 31 for burglary, has spent more than half his life in custody and became addicted to heroin at 16. The court accepted his desire to become drug‑free and suspended the last year of a five‑year term on the condition he keep the peace, engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and remain drug‑ and alcohol‑free. He also admitted robbing a woman at St Stephen's Green on November 3, 2017, for which a concurrent sentence was imposed. All sentences are back‑dated to July 18, the day he entered custody.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for chronic addict who stole rental car. Charges or matters: burglary and unauthorised taking of a car at Camden Street Upper on September 8, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 8, 2017 Incident
- November 3, 2017 Other
- July 18 Incident
- 2019-02-07 Publication
Why: The court heard that McDonagh requested to serve his sentence at the Midlands Prison in order to be near his family and to be away from certain influences in Mountjoy. Court evidence reported by CNI
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: burglary and unauthorised taking of a car at Camden Street Upper on September 8, 2017 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The court heard that McDonagh requested to serve his sentence at the Midlands Prison in order to be near his family and to be away from certain influences in Mountjoy. She imposed a concurrent sentence for the robbery offence which she said involved a considerable amount of force and was extremely frightening.; Judge Greally had previously adjourned sentencing to allow McDonagh time to come fully off methadone.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Camden Street
- Midlands Prison
Topics
Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Theft
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