By Fiona Ferguson and Sonya McLean

A man who “inexplicably” set fire to an empty house that was being refurbished for a charity has been sentenced to three years with the final year suspended.

Stephen O’Shaughnessy (27) was intoxicated at the time he set fire to cardboard in the house. He waited outside until gardaí arrived and could not offer a reason for his behaviour.

The court heard the property was being refurbished for the use of a charity, Prosper Fingal.

There was smoke, fire and water damage throughout the house, which was almost finished refurbishment. The cost to the building contractor in gutting ….read more

By Sonya McLean and Fiona Ferguson

A burglar who sat down to have scrambled eggs with his victim after lunging at the man with a knife and stealing his phones will be allowed attend residential drug treatment prior to sentencing.

Stefan Boyle (28) was spotted by Ali Yassine hiding under a table in a mosque and was told to leave. Boyle then lunged at him with a knife, nicking the victim before he tried to escape out a window.

Mr Yassine, a caretaker in the mosque, kicked the burglar in self defence and told him to relax. He then made him scrambled eggs ….read more

By Fiona Ferguson

A man who stole two USB keys from a garda station – while being interviewed about a robbery he had committed that day – has been released on bail to attend drug treatment.

Dubliner Jason Kennedy (45) was captured on footage putting the USB keys in his pocket when the garda questioning him stepped out of the interview room to speak to a colleague.

Kennedy, of Butlers Place, Benson Street, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Park Pharmacy, Cabinteely and stealing two USB keys at Shankill Garda station on August 18, 2016.

The court heard Kennedy, ….read more

By Sonya McLean and Fiona Ferguson

A heroin addict who was so desperate for cash that he tried to rob his local shop and pharmacy has been jailed for four years.

Daniel Weldon (31) was also so intoxicated that he left “a trail of money in his wake” from another raid that same day. His attempts at robbery failed both times when the shop owners refused to give him anything.

Weldon was instantly recognised by the first shopkeeper when he went in armed with what she described as a “black handled carving knife” and demanded money from the till.

The woman replied “get out ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

A convicted sex offender with convictions for sacrilege and buggery of an animal breached a court order by using public transport without first informing gardaí.

Anthony Goodman (72) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to breaking a court order which required him to inform gardaí before travelling on public transport.

In June 2012, an order was made at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that prohibited Goodman from attending certain locations in Cork, and from travelling on public transport – with the exception of one local bus route – unless he gave gardaí two hours’ notice of his intention to do ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

A heroin addict who “took a chance” and grabbed €6,500 in notes that were lying on the counter in a Dublin newsagents has received a three-year prison sentence with the final year suspended.

Jonathan Duggan (27), formerly of Ballinderry Park, Mayfield, Cork pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of theft on September 3, 2015.

The court heard that Duggan went into Tom Stanley’s Newsagents in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to buy a drink. He then saw €6,500 in notes lying on the counter and grabbed them, before running out of the shop.

The shop assistant pursued Duggan out ….read more