Court sends Kilkenny man back to jail - just days after prison release
Kilkenny District Court
A Kilkenny man with 147 previous convictions has been handed down a prison sentence for an offence committed just days after his release from a previous prison term.
Vincent Clowry, 3 O’Loughlin Road, Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, being in possession of stolen property and theft when he appeared before the local district court.
Evidence was heard that on Sunday, November 19, at 10.50pm, Mr Clowry was arrested at his home and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station where he was charged with the offences.
Gardaí had received a report of theft from a car at St Mary’s Lane. The owner said cash and cards had been taken from the glove box in the vehicle. A bag was also taken.
CCTV of the area was viewed by gardaí who identified Mr Clowry entering the vehicle then walking along St Mary’s Lane with the stolen items.
When gardaí called to his home they were invited in by Mr Clowry. Inside, gardaí observed a number of cards on the premises, in the name of the injured party and others. The cards were in the name of a female and of a local business.
Gardaí contacted the business, on James Street, and were told that Mr Clowry had been on the premises. He went into the restaurant kitchen and was told to leave.
The court was told that Mr Clowry had 147 previous convictions, including 38 for burglary and 41 for theft/ handling stolen property. A garda said the last conviction had been on September 12 and Mr Clowry was released from prison on November 14.
Gardaí agreed with solicitor Chris Hogan that Mr Clowry had been cooperative. Mr Hogan said his client had been at his niece’s christening and went on a ‘drinking binge.’ This led to his offending. He had done well in prison, engaging with drug counselling.
All property was recovered, apart from cash.
Judge Geraldine Carthy described Mr Clowry’s ongoing, recidivist offending behaviour as affecting people in Kilkenny.
She imposed a prison sentence of seven months on one of the charges, taking the other two into consideration.
Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.