Courts / Dublin / Report

Restaurant burglar with 93 previous convictions has jail sentence overturned

Date
2025-05-16

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A 46‑year‑old serial offender, Stepan Pavlov, who had 93 prior convictions, had a 15‑month jail sentence for burglary in three separate incidents at Dublin restaurants replaced by a fully suspended term on appeal. The District Court had found him guilty of burglary under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, for stealing more than €1,000 from staff lockers at Murray's Bar on O'Connell Street on 14 July 2023, a wallet and laptop worth over €1,600 from Chequer Lane on 10 March 2023, and a purse worth €200 from a restaurant on Molesworth Street on 10 October 2023. The appeal court, hearing on 14 July 2023, granted a two‑year suspended sentence on the condition that Pavlov keep the peace, provide monthly urine analysis and stay out of the city centre without just cause. The decision was based on his rehabilitation efforts for drug addiction, as presented by his defence counsel.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Restaurant burglar with 93 previous convictions has jail sentence overturned. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

July 14, 2023 Incident
March 10, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
October 10, 2023 Incident
2025-05-16 Publication

Case subjects

Stepan Pavlov

Appellant

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge O'Donohoe told Pavlov that this was his "last chance saloon" and decided to suspend the sentence of 15 months for a period of two years. The sentence was suspended on condition that Pavlov keep the peace, provide clear urine analysis on a monthly basis and stay out of the city centre without just cause.