Cork man jailed for stealing Munster final tickets

A man who stole two match tickets and other items during a visit to a Killarney pub on the morning of the Munster final last year between Cork and Kerry has been jailed.

Noel O’Shaughnessy, aged 49, from Farranferris Park, Farranree in Cork City, did have a ticket for what the court was told was “the drawn game” between Cork and Kerry on July 5, 2015, in Killarney and had intended going to the match — but he sold it. “I had a ticket, but I sold it and bought drink with it, ” he told Killorglin District Court.

He went on a theft spree in three places, taking an iPhone as well as cash. In the Shire Pub, not far from Fitzgerald’s Stadium, he took €100 and a phone, as well as the match tickets.

He also pleaded guilty at Killorglin District Court where he appeared in custody on Thursday to further thefts in Killorglin and Killarney on August 15. In a Killarney store on August 15, a woman felt a tug and her bag had disappeared, said Supt Flor Murphy.

The total loss was €1,165, the court was told.

He had 155 previous convictions the court heard, many of them for theft.

Solicitor Padraig O’Connell said his client, who has three children, was “a chronic alcoholic” and what had occurred on the day of the Munster final was both opportunistic and mean- spirited, the solicitor said.

Judge O’Connor told Mr O’Shaughnessy he had “no respect” for the law. He was not working, was only in his late 40s, and yet had 155 convictions.

The court was told Mr O’Shaughnessy had been sentenced in Ennis, Co Clare on Wednesday to five months imprisonment and was due before Newcastlewest Court in Co Limerick today.

Judge O’Connor convicted him on all five counts of theft and sentenced him to a total of 12 months in jail which included five months for the thefts of the tickets and cash and phone in the Shire Pub.

He was also before the court on two charges of not appearing before the court and was fined €200 for this.

Mr O’Shaughnessy said his social welfare had been cut off .