Jail for man who tried to steal from Cork church's collection boxes
A five-month jail term was imposed on a 62-year-old man who was described as being at a very low ebb trying to steal from church collection boxes to pay for drink.
Sergeant John Kelleher said the offences committed by Charles Nolan occurred at St Peter and Paul’s Church as recently as Monday afternoon.
“He entered the church and attempted to steal cash notes out of a [collection] box. This was seen on camera and caught by the sacristan who took a number of implements from Mr Nolan,” Sgt Kelleher said.
Those implements included a torch, tweezers and thin metal bars that looked like they had been cut from close hangers.
Frank Buttimer said that even though the accused had more charges against him adjourned to dates in the coming days he was anxious to plead guilty to the two fresh charges and be sentenced on those.
“He has secured hostel accommodation but he has an ongoing addiction difficulty which is a real problem. All of his efforts at rehabilitation have failed and he accepts blame for that himself,” the solicitor said.
Mr Buttimer said the accused was desperate to get money to pay for his addiction and carried out the attempted theft even though he realised he was likely to be identified.
Judge Olann Kelleher remarked:
Unfortunately, he is 62 and he is in poor health. A year ago, he got four months for theft. He got bail on condition he would stay out of churches. He has not adhered to that condition. I will sentence him to five months in prison.
Garda Lorraine O’Donovan arrested Nolan of Deerpark hostel, Friars Walk, Cork, and charged him with having a slimline torch, four tweezers and four metal bars in connection with attempted theft and another count of trying to steal to €5 notes from a collection box on Monday last.
Gardaí were alerted when the sacristan at the church saw Nolan on the church’s security cameras. Garda O’Donovan said the accused was on bail on condition that he would stay away from churches.
A fortnight ago there was no objection to the accused being released on bail but certain conditions were required. One was that Nolan would not go to any church in Cork city as charges related to alleged thefts at Holy Trinity Church on Fr Matthew Quay, and the Church of the Annunciation in Blackpool.
