Prolific Limerick thief jailed for spate of thefts in the district court

A MAN who was charged with thefts of alcohol from two shops in the one town, has been jailed.

Patrick Ryan with an address at River View, Kilmallock, appeared before Kilmallock District Court, charged with three theft offences.

The court heard that on June 6, 2025, Mr Ryan stole four cans of beer from a shop in Kilmallock.

On two dates in September 2025, just three days apart, the accused stole from two shops in Kilmallock.

On September 26, 2025, in the middle of the day at 2pm, he stole a bottle of white wine valued at €9.99.

Just three days later in another shop in Kilmallock, Mr Ryan stole a bottle of Smirnoff vodka.

In all three cases, prosecuting for the State, Inspector Barry Manton said that he made no attempt to pay and the property was not recovered.

He was also not in a position to pay back €38 owed in compensation.

Judge Patricia Harney noted: “The injured party is not going to be compensated.”

Solicitor for Mr Ryan, Ted McCarthy told the court: “Unfortunately, he doesn’t have it.”

The 57-year-old has 28 previous convictions, with the most recent being from November 2025, for which he was jailed for twelve weeks.

Solicitor for the defendant, Mr McCarthy told the court that: “In fairness you see the problem,” to which Judge Harney replied: “It’s all alcohol,” adding that she has sympathy for the shop owners.

Judge Harney said: “He’s not entitled to take other people’s property and make a bit of a habit of it.”

For the theft of the vodka, she sentenced Mr Ryan to two weeks in prison.

Judge Harney sentenced him to a further two weeks in prison for the theft of the white wine.

She ordered that these sentences be served consecutively and she took the theft of the four cans of beer into consideration.

The offences also triggered a Section 99 for a suspended sentence related to an offence in March 2023.

Mr Ryan was remanded on bail to appear again before Kilmallock District Court, on the condition that he keep the peace, be of good behaviour and stay away from the two shops he stole from.

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