Pierce Byrne (45) of Hazelwood Crescent, Hartstown, Dubin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at Spar, Hartstown Road, Hartstown, on August 19th, 2019.
Garda Ciara Darling told Siobhán Ní Chúlacháin BL, prosecuting, that on the morning in question, Byrne entered the shop and asked for a packet of 20 cigarettes. After being given the cigarettes he asked the shopkeeper if he could pay for them later, but this suggestion was refused.
Gda Darling said Byrne told the shopkeeper that he lived in the area and was good for the money. He left the shop with the cigarettes and refused to give them back when asked to do so by the shopkeeper who followed him outside.
Byrne was identified by gardaí on CCTV footage and he admitted to the offence when interviewed.
He has 46 previous convictions, including convictions for manslaughter, robbery, burglary, theft and assault.
Gda Darling agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that his client has had addiction issues, but that he has weaned himself off all drugs while in custody. She agreed that Byrne has a teenager daughter.
Mr Rea said that his client had stopped taking his bi-polar medicine around the time of the offending and that he was relying on shoplifting.
Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Byrne to 10 months imprisonment. She backdated the sentence to December 1st, 2019, when Byrne first went into custody.
