A District Court judge has described as tragic and frightening the State’s failure to provide drug treatment facilities for defendants outside the prison system.
At Athy District Court, Judge Desmond Zaidan said the Government was guilty of double standards in mounting security operations on coasts and at airports to keep out drugs while failing to keep drugs out of prisons.
He imposed consecutive nine-month sentences on Athy native Larry Kinsella (39) of no fixed abode, for two thefts, after he asked to go to prison to get help for a long-term heroin addiction.
The judge said in-house treatment is needed for drug and alcohol addicts.
Det Garda Niall Bambrick said Mr Kinsella replied: “I’m sorry. I meant no harm, I was strung out,” when he was charged with a robbery alleged to have taken place on Monday night.
When the judge proposed to remand him in custody to Cloverhill Prison on that charge, Mr Kinsella asked to be sentenced for two thefts at a hardware store in May, saying he could get help at the Midlands prison.