Taoiseach’s nephew, 18, jailed for crime spree

The Taoiseach’s nephew has been sentenced to seven months in prison for a crime spree that included burglary, car theft and driving while intoxicated.

Mr Kenny’s sister, Marie Hastings, wept openly in court as her 18-year-old son, Kevin, was sent to St Patrick’s Institution for a litany of crimes that stretched over 12 months.

The youngster, whose father, Tim Hastings, owns a Mercedes Benz dealership in Westport, Co Mayo, was also disqualified from driving for four years for a number of road traffic offences.

The court heard that the young man from Rosbeg, Co Mayo, had a promising career as a rugby player which included playing for “club, county, and country” and he had been offered a scholarship with Trinity College in Dublin.

However, Judge Mary Devins told the Children’s Court in Westport that the defendant “lied over and over and over” to the court and left her with no option but to impose a custodial sentence.

The young man’s crimes stretched back to Feb 2011 when, as a 16-year-old, he was charged with the unlawful entry of a house and theft of a sum of money.

He was later charged with taking a car in March of the same year and was found to be driving with no licence or insurance while taking benzodiazepines.

Two months later, he was found to have broken into another house where he again stole the owner’s car.

In May last year he confessed to theft from a Tesco store. His solicitor James Ward told Judge Devins that two years ago his client had sought help for drug use and spent some time in St John of Gods in Dublin.

The court heard Mr Hastings had been deeply affec-ted by the death of his grandmother two years ago.

Judge Devins said the young man had been offered a number of chances but had continually pushed away those who love him.