AUTOMATIC challenges against fines and prison sentences handed down by District Court judges may soon become unappealing to criminals.
Only three days after warning lawbreakers they could spend more time behind bars by abusing bail laws, Judge Pat McCartan yesterday confirmed the courage of the court's convictions.
A drug addict who admitted feeding his habit by petty thefts and handbag snatches saw 12 months imprisonment increased to 18. He had appealed to the Circuit Court against severity of sentence.
Judge McCartan told him he had twice broken bail and reoffended, demonstrating blatant disregard for the court or the bail system. Another man who reoffended while on High Court bail was told he would serve the full 18 months imposed in the District Court.
"Only the mitigating circumstances outlined by your solicitor saves you from being imprisoned for longer," Judge McCartan said.
In 25 criminal appeals Judge McCartan confirmed or increased District Court sentences where appellants had reoffended on bail.
In a number of cases where there was no criminal record before or since conviction in the District Court, Judge McCartan either suspended jail sentences for two years or struck out fines in lieu of substantial charitable contributions which allowed once off offenders to retain their previous clean record. He also warned that the court would no longer accept being married or having children as a mitigating circumstance in appeals for leniency.