A TROUBLED man who committed a series of burglaries at his family home and their neighbours’ houses after being asked to leave by his adoptive parents has been given a five year sentence.
Anthony Walsh (22), who committed most of his 53 previous convictions around the family home or in their car, was asked to leave by his parents after he “kicked them in the teeth whenever they put out their hands to him.”
Walsh, with an address at The Paddocks Grove, Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a burglary at his family home in Kilternan and two burglaries of neighbours’ homes on dates between February 13th and March 23rd, 2009.
He also pleaded guilty to using a cheque taken from his father’s cheque book to obtain €530 at AIB Westmoreland Street on February 17th, 2009. Three similar counts were taken into consideration.
Judge Frank O’Donnell told Walsh that he “has a consistent disregard of society.”
“You were barred from the family home as a last resort and you proceeded to commit these offences. Your were treated by your dad in a friendly manner but you committed the unthinkable and burgled your own home,” he said.
“You have given little explanation other than you were under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” said Judge O’Donnell.
He suspended the final two years on strict conditions.
Garda Ian Abbey told Roughan Banim, prosecuting, that on February 13th, 2009 the weather was bad and Walsh’s adoptive father took pity on him and let him into the house. He later found his wallet and a cheque book missing.
Walsh forged his father’s signature on four cheques totalling just over €1,000 and discarded the remaining cheques.
He was arrested on March 16th, 2009, and admitted taking the cheque book, cashing the cheques and taking money out of his father’s wallet.
Garda Abbey said on March 23rd, 2009, Walsh gained entry to the house of a neighbour of the family through a back door and took a large jar used to store coins. He called to his family home the following day looking for food and asked his father to take him to the bank so he could cash coins which he claimed to have saved.
Walsh was arrested on April 9th, 2009, in relation to this offence and admitted taking the coins.
He also admitted taking a handbag from another nearby house after also gaining entry through the back door.
Walsh has 53 previous convictions including threatening to kill, breach of a barring order, assault, burglary as well as public order and 33 road traffic offences.
Garda Abbey agreed with defence counsel Fiona Pekaar, that Walsh was adopted and had a fraught relationship with his parents after being diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at seven or eight.
He agreed that Walsh’s previous convictions mostly related to the family home and family car.
Ms Pekaar said Walsh feels huge remorse for the offences. She said of his family: “When they put their hands out to him he kicks them in the teeth again.”
She said Walsh was doing well in custody, which was helping to give him an air of stability.