A man who repeatedly breached undertakings to stay out of Mahon Point shopping centre and a nearby commercial centre was remanded in custody for several days but now he has been released on a last chance to stay away from these locations.
Martin Keenan, aged 20, of 7 Meelagh View, Mahon, Cork, had never been in custody before and said today he found the experience very hard and asked for a last chance.
Commenting on the defendant’s repeat offending in and around Mahon Point — including verbally abusing, threatening and assaulting security staff at shops — Sergeant John Kelleher said: “This man has gone back and back and back, this has gone on for years.”
Judge Mary Dorgan said: “What is going on in Mahon Point has to stop. I am going to put the matter back to see how he gets on for the summer and review the bond in September.”
In one incident on May 3, at McDonald’s in Mahon Point, he stole two Happy Meals valued at €11 and then assaulted the manager who intervened, and knocked him onto a table.
On June 28 he assaulted a store manager at Tesco, Mahon Point, by kicking him in the hand.
There were several other offences of threatening staff.
However, Judge Dorgan highlighted one petty theft and commented on the trouble caused by such an offence where he took a €2.65 can of Monster drink from a fridge at Tesco and left without paying.
“This underlines the annoying part of this offending. This is a can of Monster, valued €2.65, but look at all the trouble it puts the shop to, the guards to, the court to. He has to work on victim empathy.”
Frank Buttimer solicitor said the defendant had strong pro-social support and that his wife and his mother were both present in court at all recent hearings. His father was present also today.
While a suspended sentence of two months was imposed for one of the thefts, and other penalties were given, the judge adjourned sentencing on assault and threatening charges and warned the man that if he returned to Mahon Point during the summer — even turning up in car park areas of Mahon Point — he could be facing jail sentences that could add up to a significant term if made consecutively.
The matter will be reviewed in September.