Prison sentence for criminal damage in Laois

A six month prison sentence was handed down to a man who admitted drug possession and criminal damage in Laois. 

James Jordan, 31, of Newtown, Ballybrophy was charged with possessing drugs for his own consumption at Knockanina, Mountrath on August 16 last. He was also charged with being intoxicated and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour on the same date.

The defendant was further charged with criminal damage at Apartment 1, Phelans, Main Street, Castletown, at 12 A Woodbrook, Mountrath and at Portlaoise Garda Station where a cell mattress was ripped on a date between August 16 and 17, 2021. 

Judge Patricia Cronin noted the defendant has been in custody in relation to the charges for some time. She recalled hearing the facts previously and noted that the man had 14 previous convictions. 

Solicitor Philip Meagher said his client had been in “an extremely agitated state” at the time of the offending. He said the defendant had attended the psychiatric unit in Portlaoise and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. 

Mr Meagher explained that “he was abusing substances, he would say, to deal with his anxiety.” He said: “He has been doing very well in custody since then” but he explained that the prison regime was very difficult due to Covid. “He is clean now, he did a detox in prison,” he added. 

Noting the defendant’s progress, Judge Cronin imposed a three month sentence for the criminal damage at Phelans, three months consecutive for the damage at Woodbrook, Mountrath and she took into consideration the criminal damage at Portlaoise Garda Station. 

Judge Cronin imposed a six week concurrent sentence for the threatening and abusive behaviour charge and she took the public intoxication and drug possession charges into consideration. She backdated the total of six months to August 18, 2021.  

At the request of Garda Keith Hartnett, Judge Cronin granted an order for the destruction of the drugs.