‘Nuisance’ Louth shoplifter banned from three shops as condition of suspended sentence

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A 33-year-old man described as a “nuisance to shops” has received a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to multiple theft charges.

Christopher Kerr, Cedarwood Park, Cox’s Demesne, Dundalk, had a six-month sentence suspended for 12 months.

One of the conditions is that he not go into Centra, Greenacres; Mace, Castletown Road and McEneaney’s XL, Cedarwood Park.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, mostly didn’t pay for items of small value.

However, he also admitted swiping a charity collection box and a burglary charge stemming from when he reached across a pub counter and grabbed money.

In addition there were public order offences.

Mr Kerr’s solicitor said that he was a very vulnerable person; while passing sentence, Judge Nicola Andrews remarked that he needed urgent assistance and that “prison is not the proper place for him”.

The offending occurred between March 13 and September 15 last.

On one occasion he stole a charity box containing approximately €40 at Mace, Castletown Road; while on another, in The Avenue Inn, Avenue Road, he reached across a counter top and took €50 from the till. This incident was captured on CCTV.

Solicitor Eleanor Kelly said that her client was extremely unwell, adding that this court appearance was the first time he had been “quiet and stable”.

After the court heard from Mr Kerr’s father, the solicitor continued that the defendant now had a recognised diagnosis and got the medication he required. He didn’t always comply.

Ms Kelly said what he took was often “a bag of crisps and a can of Coke”.

The suspended sentence was marked on one of the charges, with the others taken into consideration.