Andrew Carey
THE “revolving door” system at Limerick Prison has been heavily criticised by a judge after a thief committed further crimes after he was released just weeks into an eight month sentence.
52-year-old Gordon Ryan of McGarry House, Alphonsus Street, Limerick was brought before Limerick District Court on foot of a bench warrant but defence solicitor John Devane agreed that his client was too intoxicated to deal with the case.
After he was remanded in custody overnight by Judge Eugene O’Kelly to “sober up and come to his senses”, he pleaded guilty to stealing chocolate, food items and alcohol from a number of city centre shops between September 2 and February 18 last. He also stole €30 from a 15-year-old boy who was collecting for the ISPCC at Pery Square on December 12 last.
When Sgt Donal Cronin said the offences were committed at a time when Ryan should have been serving an eight month sentence, Judge O’Kelly said “It seems that as soon as the prison authorities can sober him up, he is put out into society where he continues to regularly offend.”
Imposing a ten month prison sentence, Judge O’Kelly said “I am disappointed that I am sentencing him for these offences which happened at a time when I expected him to be in prison.”
