A 21-year-old man with 27 previous convictions, who stole a pink phone and a camera and was driving without insurance, was sentenced to six months in jail at Ballina District Court this week.
Brian Egan, Graffy, Attymass, was stopped by Garda Seamus Smith on December 12 last year at 11.30pm at a Garda checkpoint. Egan had no insurance and explained that he had bought the car that day — it transpired in court that the defendant was disqualified earlier that year from driving for five years.
This year on May 10 Egan was brought to Ballina Garda Station for public order charges. When searched, a pink phone and a green camera were in his possession. These items, worth €400, were later reported stolen from a function at the Downhill Hotel. When later questioned Egan admitted they were not his.
Michael Bohan, acting solicitor, said that the defendant was intoxicated when this incident occurred and that the reason Egan bought the car was to do it up and sell it.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined Egan €1,000, disqualified him for driving for 10 years and sentenced him to three months in prison. For the theft of the items Egan was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to three months in prison to run consecutively. Recognisances were fixed.
