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A TALLAGHT MAN arrested following the looting of a Centra during Storm Emma last year has been sentenced to two years in prison with the final year suspended.
John Doyle (38), who has 111 previous convictions, threw trollies in the path of gardaí as they pursued him through the shop.
He had only been in the shop for one minute and 30 seconds before gardaí arrived and was found with three packets of cigarettes.
Doyle, of Russell Drive, Russell Square, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespassing at Centra, Kiltalown, Tallaght on 2 March, 2018 with the intention of committing theft.
Today Judge Melanie Greally said to act as Doyle did “during a national emergency” was something that justified a prison sentence and added that “under no circumstances could I consider a non-custodial sentence”.
“It was undoubtedly a very serious incident of anti-social and destructive behaviour, which brought shame on his community and his family,” the judge said.
‘Positive influence’
She accepted that Doyle had a long term partner who was “very pro-social and intolerant of his past bad behaviour and is a very positive influence on him” and also accepted that he was a devoted family man and father.
Judge Greally said she was taking into account Doyle’s expression of remorse, his efforts to rehabilitate and a large number of testimonials and references handed in on his behalf before she suspended the final 12 months of a two year sentence.
At a previous court sitting Detective Garda David Jennings told Eoghan Cole BL, prosecuting, that gardaí received a call shortly before 8pm during the “atrocious” weather conditions of Storm Emma that the security door of a Centra shop had been breached with a mechanical saw by a group of people.
Gardaí made their way as far as they could in a jeep and the remainder of the way on foot. As they arrived a large group of people on the road began shouting warnings that gardaí were coming.
Detective Garda Jennings said the front shutter of the store had been cut open and people were coming out.
Gardaí entered the shop and Doyle took off towards the back of the premises, throwing trollies to obstruct them. He was found crouched down trying to hide in the store room.
Two other men were found in that area of the shop, one of whom had a sledgehammer.
Damage to store
Doyle’s previous convictions include offences such as robbery, burglary, possession of stolen property, road traffic offences and criminal damage.
A co-accused, David Berney (37), of Suncroft Park, Tallaght, has already received an 18 month suspended sentence for his role in the incident.
Jennings agreed with Sarah Jane O’Callaghan BL, defending, that 12 or 13 people could be seen coming in and out of the store on infrared CCTV footage and Doyle was identified by “work boots” he could be seen wearing.
He said the majority of the damage had already been done by the time Doyle entered the shop.
Jennings agreed Doyle was not present when the shop shutters were cut open with a con saw and that the cigarette machine had been forced open before he arrived.
O’Callaghan said that certain people looked out of the shop and appeared to beckon others over and it was at that point that Doyle entered the store.
She said Doyle had panicked on seeing gardaí and ran, throwing trolleys to slow them down. She said he was deeply ashamed of his actions which almost cost him his relationship with his partner.
She said he did not cause the criminal damage in the area of the shop where he was found.
Counsel said that Doyle had a significant past but was a deeply committed father who had got his life together. She said he was disgusted that he was lured into chaos and lawlessness on the night.
She said he had drink taken on the night and it had been an “opportunistic and stupid” thing to do.
After hearing evidence last March Judge Greally had adjourned sentencing and remanded Doyle on continuing bail pending the preparation of a report from the Probation Service.
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I recall a certain group of youths raiding a Lidl in Fortunestown, running out with big boxes of Haribos, what happened to them? They self incriminated themselves on Snapchat too so should have been okay to identify surely?
On a side note, 2 years is a healthy sentence. Good to see a harsh sentence to fit the crime. Bit odd now though that some abusers get 2 years alongside theifs?
@TheFreeSpeechParty: Sure you cant say anything about them lads.. They get a free pass in PC Ireland..
@David Garland: a c’mon, everyone deserves a 112th chance
2 years not enough for him with jhis past history
@Ciaran O Moore: Did I read right? 111 previous convictions? Wow. In America, you need just 3. We play too much in this country.
@Arya: Take it easy – do you want our “human rights lawyers” on ranting about the rights of the likes of this guy while lining their pockets with free legal aid at the same time. And that outfit called “penal reform trust” backing them up.
Jesus how does he have 111 past convictions where did he find the time?
@Lynn: and considering he probably got caught once out of every 5 crimes he committed it is truly shocking. At what point do we consider to just life this kind of filth off?
@Lynn: very good lol
@Lynn: because he’s a little scrote
Throw away the key
Good :-)
I think people need to read this article more carefully before posting comments.
He was in the shop for 90 seconds when the guards arrived and he was caught with 3 packs of cigarettes , if the guards hadn’t arrived for 10-15 minutes I’m sure he would have walked away with a lot more.
A 2 year sentence with 12 months suspended is another joke of a sentence from Melanie to give someone caught red handed who has 111 previous convictions
He’ll be out before Christmas :(
Ah come on, this is a bit harsh. 2 years for 3 boxes of smokes? I know he has previous, but this is a bit OTT. It’ll cost the state about 120k to house him for 2 years, he’ll pay no tax over that period, his family will be in receipt of additional benefits, his kids will be more likely to fall into crime as a result of him being absent and them visiting him in prison, he’ll be impossible to employ on release, and he’ll be much more likely to re-offend and perpetuate the cycle indefinitely. All for 3 boxes of fags.
Why not give him a community service sentence? Like picking up plastic off the streets for 10 hours a week for 2 years, as well as committing to taking further education giving him a real chance at a sustainable job to support himself and his family. It’s not about being soft, it’s basic economics.
This country is a nation of contradictions.
@Dr Richard DeWitt: he’s been locked up to save the public having to put up with the filth…. 111 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS…. cop yourself on
@Dr Richard DeWitt: you don’t seem to understand the way the criminal element in this country operates.
@Kevk77: maybe he should let the dirt bag come live with him and show him the right way to live… See how that goes
@STOIC SAVAGE: maybe he’ll pay his own way, like the taxes he thinks the scrote would pay if he wasn’t locked up.
@Kevk77: I know… I thought that one was hilarious too
@STOIC SAVAGE: Yep. Average of over 5 a year since he became an adult. Deserved.
@Alan McDonald: and that’s the ones he’s been caught for
@Dr Richard DeWitt: that would be to easy but is the right thing to do
@Dr Richard DeWitt: it never tends to be a popular opinion as the baying crowd will always demand that they should be locked up but I agree with you. As another poster mentioned, a man gets a fully suspended sentence the other day for having 500 odd child porn images. He facilitates the production of child porn and abuse of children and he walks around a free man and this fella robbed some fags. A suspended sentence with community service cleaning our streets would be of more benefit to the country.
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: so he can come Rob you?? Man what planet are you and your buddy living on
@STOIC SAVAGE: don’t get me wrong, he should be punished and do some time but I feel it doesn’t serve the taxpayer well that someone stealing 3 boxes of fags will now not be paying tax and the taxpayer will have to contribute to maintaining his family and will on the flipside cost the state thousands while in prison. I was juxtaposing the two cases though. One where someone promotes the abuse of children and gets a fully suspended sentence and one who robbed 3 packets of fags and will spend a year in prison. Do you think the two sentences are proportionate? That’s my issue.
@STOIC SAVAGE: you’d get less for battering the sh !te out of someone. I just don;t understand the sentencing in Ireland.
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: 111 previous convictions
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: that’s your issue…. Child porn has nothing to do with this case and I don’t get why you’re trying to make it so… That filth should also be locked up indefinitely but thats not what we’re talking about pal
@Dr Richard DeWitt: yeah but the reality is it’s like that now! and has been for most his life he’s what called a career criminal and always will be. He knows no better, cops and robbers stuff here.
@Dr Richard DeWitt: Ah come off it, he was looting.Taking advantage of extraordinary weather to raid someone’s shop.Dosn’t matter if he had 3 packets of fags or a case of Hennessy!
@STOIC SAVAGE: as i said my issue is with sentencing and the time should fit the crime but as you believe he should be locked up indefinitely then, as I said….the baying crowd. 111 convictions is a lot ya. It doesn’t mean he’s actually gone out on 111 separate occasions and committed a crime though. Something tells me that none of that matters to you though. If we had him locked up indefinitely then we’d have to turn into America with their private prisons and we’d be down a slippery slope then. I think we’d both agree that sentencing in Ireland is a joke regardless though.
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: your issue has nothing to do with this case….. Move along
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: no its actually means he’s gone out up to 5 times more than that to commit crimes…. Give your head a shake pal seriously…. Hopefully you or none of your family members have the bad fortune to be on the wrong end of one of these dirt bags crimes while they’re walking the streets with hundreds of convictions…. Bet you’d change your tune then…. Please cop on!!!
@STOIC SAVAGE: relax fella! I’ve had my house burgled, two bikes robbed, been pickpocketed and been assaulted. I’d say nearly everyone I know has been the victim of some toerag in some form or another but I’m not going to go hoping we turn in Saudi Arabia and expecting we start chopping off ppl’s hands for robbing some fags. I think I’m talking some sense and you clearly think you are. Two opinions.
@Dr Richard DeWitt: he was caught with 3 boxes of fags. He would have taken anything else that was there. 111 previous convictions. Imagine the amount of crimes he’s got away with. Trust me he’s a scrote
@John Paul: I’m not saying he isn’t, and I’m certainly not saying poor him with all his troubles. But the basic economics of the situation don’t lie: the absolute worst thing we can do is put him in prison.
@Dr Richard DeWitt: ‘the absolute worst thing we can do is put this man in prison’ – the left are a funny bunch, they have good intentions, they like the warm fuzzy feel as they doze off to sleep that they do good. They like to let others know they hold the moral high ground, it makes them feel good. The only unfortunate bit is they ruin society for the rest of us with their ridiculous naivety.
I am not condoning what this man did but 2 years for 3 packs of fags and their is a guy last week with child porn and he gets a suspend sentence our justice week in week out is becoming a total farce
@Marty: did you actually read the article… This clown has 111 previous convictions ffs
@STOIC SAVAGE: ah hey had a troubled childhood… and is now a devoted farther, sure he was only robbing the cigs to feed his children with them…
@Jack Johnson: :D
@Jack Johnson: and was only trying to ram the garda with trolleys to test their reflexes…. Thereby providing a meaningful public service…. Actually on second thoughts… The man deserves a medal
Final year of the 2 year sentence suspended so really only 12 months before remission.
however I agree with the sentiment above.
Jailing doesn’t really work, curfews, tagging and long community service for say 5 years , alongside with big fines deducted from wages or social welfare. 111 convictions Ffs
@John Walsh:
Wages , your having a laugh John . In all probability a Wage hasnt come into his household for the past four generations.
Can’t we just throw away the key. He’s obviously a menace and scurge upon society and always will be.
Someone with 111 past convictions is a waste of oxygen and should be put down.
As Moe Szyslak (bartender in the Simpsons) would say “you know he comes from one of those looser countries” We can put our hand up there.
I would not compare our justice system to America there justice system is for profit privatised. I would say it will eventually happen here because it’s happening in England G4S owns a few prisons over there.
Yes, it becomes more of a joke country with every passing day. He should have slipped on the way out and he could be getting out of jail to a nice big juicy claim. No wonder the rest of the world think the Irish are a stupid race.
Probably a fair sentence in all honesty.
People are getting less time for rape and sexual assault
have your say