Vincent McNally jailed for Shankill burglaries

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Vincent McNally received an eight-year prison sentence from Judge Patrick McCartan for three burglaries, with the final five years suspended for five years on strict conditions. He was jailed for three years. The proceedings were reported on 21 May 2015.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three burglaries. The burglaries occurred in the Shankill area in February 2014. He also admitted possession of gloves with intent to commit burglary. That offence occurred in Shankill on 28 April 2014.

He had 54 previous convictions, including 24 for burglary, one for robbery and one for aggravated burglary. Judge Patrick McCartan described him as “a serious committed criminal”.

Vincent McNally had originally been due to be sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan the previous March. His defence counsel suggested another judge handle the case because he had previously burgled the judge’s house. Judge Martin Nolan transferred the case to Judge Patrick McCartan.

Colman Fitzgerald SC, defending, described his client as a chronic heroin addict who had spent most of his teenage years in institutions. He said his client had tried to move away from crime, with mixed success.