Three months in prison for Offaly man with 106 previous convictions
A THREE-month prison sentence was imposed on a man who was found in possession of heroin after being detained following a burglary at a church.
Paul Cullen (37), Killane Drive, Edenderry, appeared before Tullamore District Court where evidence of arresting, charging and cautioning him was given by Detective Garda Joseph Bradley.
Detective Garda Bradley said Mr Cullen had been arrested on September 22 last year in connection with a burglary at the church in Edenderry and brought to Tullamore Garda Station.
When Mr Cullen was searched in the custody area of the station three separate bags of diamorphine (heroin) were found on him. The drugs weighed a total of 16.7 grams and were valued at €2,500.
Detective Garda Bradley said the accused had 106 previous convictions and in October he had received a two-month prison sentence for criminal damage.
Judge Andrew Cody was told Mr Cullen had 11 convictions for possession of offensive weapons, 15 for public order offences, 10 for assault, one for robbery, 26 for burglary, 13 for theft, one for handling stolen property, six for road traffic offences, eight for failing to appear in court, five for criminal damage, two for drugs offences, plus other convictions.
Donal Farrelly, defending solicitor, entered a plea of guilty to the possession of drugs for supply and said Mr Cullen's whole life had been blighted by heroin use.
Mr Farrelly said the man, who was in custody, was off heroin, and was receiving injections as part of his treatment and was looking much better.
His offences were related to him trying to get heroin and he had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Judge Cody said the amount of drugs Mr Cullen had was significant and because of his previous convictions he imposed the sentence of three months.
In October Mr Cullen admitted damaging an offertory box in St Mary's Church in Edenderry and also pleaded guilty to entering Foy's in the town as a trespasser in October 2020 and committing an arrestable offence there.
The court heard the amount of money in the offertory box was small, perhaps between €6 and €10.
The judge heard on that occasion that Mr Cullen had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse and while he had previously been doing well on a methadone programme, he had a relapse.
He was anxious to receive a prison sentence so that he would be moved from remand in Cloverhill to the Midlands Prison where he would get help with his addiction.
Judge Cody noted the accused had been found in possession of three screwdrivers when he was arrested and the offence of stealing from a church was serious because churches were finding it hard to “get any few bob these days”.