Offaly man jailed for 14 months for number of offences including theft of €740 from vehicle

An Offaly was jailed for 14 months for a number of offences committed in Birr this year and last year.

Judge Andrew Cody imposed the prison sentence on Mark Jennings (32), Clareen, Birr, when he appeared at Tullamore District Court.

Mr Jennings admitted stealing €740 at Main Street, Birr on June 2, 2024 and he also pleaded guilty to offences in March this year.

Those offences included an attempt to commit theft at MacRegol Pairc on March 26, damaging the front passenger window of a vehicle on March 7 at St Brendan's Church, Wilmer Road, public drunkenness at Scurragh on March 27 and between March 4 and March 5 at separate addresses on Park Rise, stealing a torch worth €100 and bank cards worth €20.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns outlined the facts relating to some of the offences. He said that on March 26 the man searched an unlocked vehicle in an attempt to commit theft and on June 2, 2024 he took €740 from a vehicle.

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On March 4 last a wallet was taken from a vehicle and transactions worth €117 took place on a stolen debit card.

Sergeant Kearns said Mr Jennings had 50 previous offences including theft, drugs, road traffic and public order offences.

He had previously received prison sentences, including a three-year sentence for robbery in April 2022.

Eighteen months of the three years were suspended. In June 2021 he received a part-suspended sentence for burglary.
Defending solicitor Patrick Martin said Mr Jennings had addiction issues and they had been spiralling when the offences before the court were committed.

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Mr Martin said his client, a man of limited means, was prepared to go into custody to address his issues.

Judge Cody imposed an eight-month sentence for the theft of €740 in June last year, plus another six months in prison, to be served consecutively, for the attempted theft on March 26 this year.

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