Courts / Dublin / Report

Repeat offender jailed for getting into homeowner's car, swallowing crack cocaine

Date
2025-12-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A repeat offender, Thomas Joyce (45), has been jailed for six weeks after entering a car parked in a private driveway in south Dublin while on probation and swallowing crack cocaine during garda custody. Joyce was sentenced at Dún Laoghaire District Court after pleading not guilty to entering a Volkswagen Touran on Anglesea Road, Dublin 4, on November 18, 2024. The car's owner saw Joyce enter the driveway and rummage through the vehicle before claiming it was his. Joyce was later arrested in a Spar shop in Ballsbridge. While in custody, he swallowed crack cocaine wraps hidden in his dentures and was taken to hospital. Judge Anne Watkin noted Joyce's 77 previous convictions, including 47 for theft and fraud, and stated that despite previous leniency, he had breached probation by committing another offence. She imposed a six-week sentence, half the maximum available, and did not order compensation as no damage was done to the vehicle.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Repeat offender jailed for getting into homeowner's car, swallowing crack cocaine. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

November 18, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
2025-12-19 Publication

Case subjects

Thomas Joyce

Convicted Person

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Thomas Joyce (45), with an address at Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2, was sentenced to six weeks in prison at Dún Laoghaire District Court after pleading not guilty to entering a car parked at a private residence on Anglesea Road, Dublin 4. Defence counsel, Silvia Maria Crowley BL, outlined a long history of addiction and personal tragedy affecting her client and asked the court to impose a lenient custodial sentence, saying that Joyce was currently engaging with treatment services.