A Dublin heroin addict with a penchant for breaking into schools to feed his habit, has been sentenced to six months in prison for stealing valuable equipment from a city gaelscoil last year.
Joseph Bates (37), with addresses in Boyne Street, Dublin 2, and Haven House, 29 Phibsboro Road, Dublin 2, appeared in custody before Galway District Court, where he pleaded guilty at the last moment to breaking into Colaiste na Coiribe on the Tuam Road on February 18 last year and stealing a Samsung Galaxy tablet 2 worth €400 and a Panasonic projector worth €600.
Garda Conor Barrett gave evidence he received a call from the school’s principal, Stiofan O Cualain, and when he went to investigate he found the front door of the school was smashed in, along with three internal doors and a number of presses, at a total cost of €1,500.
The school’s Samsung Galaxy tablet, which contained valuable educational information, along with a projector, were stolen.
Garda Barrett said he viewed the school’s CCTV footage and took it to Dublin where Gardaí identified the accused for him.
He said colleagues from Dublin had travelled to court at great expense to the taxpayer to give evidence as Bates had initially indicated he was not going to plead to the charge. Judge Mary Fahy noted Bates had only changed his plea at the last moment.
Garda Barrett told her the children in the school – which has since relocated to Knocknacarra – were the biggest losers in this crime as valuable information had been contained for their benefit on the stolen equipment.
He said Bates had 46 previous convictions, with 12 of those for burglaries.
His latest conviction was recorded at Dunleary District Court on January 13, where Bates received a three-month sentence which was suspended for two years for causing €2,000 worth of damage during a break-in at a school last September.
He also received a two-and-a-half-year sentence last October at Dublin Circuit Court for burglary. In all, he is currently serving a 17-month sentence for offences dealt with by various District Courts in Kildare and Dublin areas, the court was told.
Defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor said her client – who is a father of five children – had no recollection of being in Galway due to the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time.
She said he had a chronic heroin addiction since the age of 12 but was now drug-free and doing quite well in prison.
Having seen the CCTV footage earlier that morning, her client now wished to plead guilty, she said.
She said Bates is currently serving sentences handed down by District and Circuit courts and is not due for release until August 28, 2017.
Judge Fahy pointed out the jurisdiction of the District Court could not exceed 24 months and as Bates was currently serving 17 months imposed by various district courts, she said the maximum she could impose was six months, which she made consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving.
She commended Garda Barrett’s detective work by going through the CCTV footage and bringing it to the Gardaí in Dublin who are familiar with the defendant, so that he could be positively identified.
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