Man with 110 previous convictions stole alcohol from stores in Tullamore

A TULLAMORE man pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol from two stores and for committing a number of public order offences during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court.

Stephen Bracken, 23B Church Street, Tullamore, was charged with stealing two packs of beer containing four cans of beer each, total value of €18 from Leavy's Centra, 8 O'Carroll Street, Tullamore on February 5 last.

He was also charged with stealing 2no Lomza 4 pack beer (€20.79) from the same store on February 6.

Another offence occurred on January 26, when he stole 1 bottle of Southern Comfort (€31.20), 1 bottle Jack Daniels (€32.25), 1 Bottle of Captain Morgan (€25.00) and 1 Bottle of Ballykeefe Gin (€52.00) from Scally's Centra, Tullamore.

Mr Bracken also pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and with being intoxicated in public on Church Street, Tullamore on January 26th  last and on November 17, 2023.

He was charged as well with threatening words or behaviour at Dunnes Stores, Bridge Centre, Tullamore on November 11, 2023.

Sergeant Richard Thornton told the court that during the public order incident on Church Street on November 17, Mr Bracken was “shouting abuse, was intoxicated and was causing a nuisance. When the Gardaí talked to him he became very irate and verbally abusive towards them.” Sergeant Thornton said the defendant had 110 previous convictions.

The defending solicitor Aisling Maloney admitted it was a high number of convictions but a lot of his trouble could be attributed to having been addicted to heroin. She said he has now conquered this addiction.

“However, unfortunately he has now become addicted to alcohol. He always puts his hands up when he has done wrong. There is some hope for my client because he accepts that he has a problem.”

Judge Andrew Cody convicted and sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment. He suspended the latter three months of the sentence. He ordered that Bracken attend the Probation Service for a year