“LADY drivers should be able to drive around the city without the fear of having their car doors opened and their purses grabbed – it’s a particular mean and nasty crime and not something that this court will tolerate”. That was the warning given by Judge Eugene O’Kelly to a 27-year-old father of two who was charged with the theft of a handbag from a lady’s car as she drove on the Childers’ Road last January 4.
Michael Casey of Bay 3, Clonlong Halting Site, was charged with the theft of the bag and cash valued at €446 from Ms Margaret Ryan.
Sgt. Donal Cronin told the court that Casey ran up to a car stopped in traffic, opened the passenger door and took the handbag from the seat. However, the theft was spotted by an off-duty garda who happened to be driving in the area.
Casey was before the court with 72 previous convictions, the last of which was a nine month suspended sentence imposed on April 4 last. Judge O’Kelly was told that the matter was now a subject to a section 99 referral order where the suspended sentence could be activated.
Legal aid defence solicitor Chris Lynch said that his client had trouble with alcohol in the past and had split from his partner because of his drinking habits. However, in the recent past, he had been dealing with his drinking and his wife, who was “a steady influence on his life” had reconciled with the family.
Judge O’Kelly said that this was a particularly “mean and nasty type of crime” and a “crime that the court and society could not tolerate”.
Lady drivers, he said, “should be able to drive around without worrying about having their handbags snatched”.
Mr Lynch said that Michael Casey’s sister died two days before this incident and that this made him “fall of the wagon”.
“When he falls off the wagon he gets into enormous problems”.
Judge O’Kelly said he would differ his decision on the matter until November 8 but ordered that €500 compensation be paid to the injured party. He said that this would “influence greatly” his final decision.
