Jail time for man who stole safe and till from Limerick charity shop ‘out of desperation’

A JUDGE has sentenced a recidivist criminal who stole over €2,000 from a charity shop in Limerick city to three years’ imprisonment. 

Michael Sheehan, aged 37, of Cliona Park, Moyross came before Judge Colin Daly after he admitted taking a “significant amount of money” from the St Vincent de Paul shop at Mungret Street earlier this year.

Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan outlined the facts of the case with the assistance of Detective Garda Jonathon Finn who described how a masked Mr Sheehan used a crowbar to break into the premises in the early hours of February 23.

CCTV footage showed him removing the till and the safe at around 5.30am before leaving in a white van which was driven by an accomplice, who he has refused to name. 

The crime scene was forensically examined following the burglary and blood found at the premises was a DNA match for Mr Sheehan. 

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When subsequently arrested at his home, the defendant was found to be in possession of a single shotgun cartridge.
He told gardaí he found the cartridge on the floor at a Boyle Sports premises.

However, imposing sentence, Judge Daly said he was “not entirely convinced” by this explanation.

The court heard Mr Sheehan has come to “considerable garda attention” since 2013 and has 80 previous convictions, including a number for burglary and theft. He has two convictions for the sale and supply of drugs and previously received a lengthy prison sentence for dangerous driving causing serious harm at Parteen on the outskirts of the city. 

Johanna O’Connor BL said the crime was done “out of desperation” and that Mr Sheehan has a serious drug addiction. 

Mr Sheehan offered €1,000 in restitution, which the judge considered a mitigating factor in the sentencing. 

Funded by the Court Reporting scheme