He may be a man who’s turned a corner,” solicitor Louis Kiernan said of his client George Donegan.
Mr Kiernan said the theft charges against the 20-year-old from Ballinvalley, Delvin had been put back to see if he behaved himself. Handing a number of testimonials to Judge John Neilan, he said his client had not come to Garda attention since he was sentenced on July 2. This was confirmed by Inspector Jarlath Folan. Mr Donegan now has a partner and child.
The judge noted that Mr Donegan has a psychiatric appointment in the near future but said he would prefer to wait until after that appointment before finalising the case. He adjourned the case to February 18 for a psychiatric report regarding what he called “continuing intervention” for Mr Donegan.
Mr Kiernan accepted that his client was dealing with issues but that he was not using alcohol.
Mr Donegan was sentenced to 11 months for theft of a handbag on the Clonmellon Road on June 29 this year and a further 11 months for trespass on a house in Crowenstown where €40 cash was stolen on January 1 2009.
