A TWENTY-year-old of no fixed abode, but originally fostered in Castleconnell and now staying in O’Briens Bridge, appeared before Limerick District Court on an number of public order related matters.
Keith O’Brien was apprehended by Garda Edel Burke on July 10 of last year, having entered the back garden of a house in Castleconnell and taking a pedal cycle.
On March 19 of this year, Garda Shane Hayes, found the accused in an intoxicated state near Mount Kennett in Limerick city. He refused to give his name and address.
O’Brien was arrested after threatening Garda Hayes to “sort him out”.
He had a previous charge relating to 2007, where a six month sentence was handed down for a criminal damage conviction.
O’Brien was arrested on March 20 last after the execution of a bench warrant for his arrest.
John Herbert, legal aid solicitor, said that his client was a foster child in the area, and since he moved from Castleconnell, his life “spiralled out of control,” having returned from a brief stint in the UK.
Effectively homeless, Mr Herbert added that the life of his client was “surrounded by chaos, and following the abuse of substances and drink, more so drink, the resulting trespass charge came as he didn’t fancy the walk to O’Brien’s Bridge, so he took the bike”
Mr Herbert added that his client didn’t recall the incident at Mount Kennett, but that his actions were not directed at the gardai, “just because they were gardai”, adding that “if it was anyone that approached him, he would have been the same. He was with others early, and they “just left him on the streets in that state”.
Judge O’Donnell also heard that the accused was serving a nine month sentence handed down by Ennis District Court on March 26 last.
Giving credit for the plea of guilty, and noting that other matters had overtaken the ones before the court, Judge O’Donnell convicted and sentenced Keith O’Brien to three months in prison for the public order offence at Mount Kennett and convicted and sentenced him to three months for the taking of the pedal cycle at Castleconnell.
He took all other matters arising out of the two incidents into consideration, and adjourned that case noting that the two sentences would be back dated to when the accused was first taken into custody.
