Man determined to beat addictions for his father, court told

A man with over 100 previous convictions expressed the desire to get over his serious addictions because that was what his late father wanted for his son.

William O’Driscoll, aged 31, of 53 Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, Cork, got an eight-month jail sentence yesterday for his latest offence.

That was for getting into a parked car without permission of the owner. He was found drunk in the back of the car.

Inspector Finbarr O’Sullivan outlined the background to the offence at Cork District Court.

“On July 19, 2016, shortly after 11.30 at night at Sarsfield Terrace, Old Youghal Road, Cork, Garda Eric Brannigan found William O’Driscoll in the rear passenger seat of a car.

“Garda Brannigan had been responding to a report of a male acting suspiciously in the area at the time.

“The car was closed but unlocked. Nobody had permission to use the car. William O’Driscoll was highly intoxicated at the time,” Insp O’Sullivan said.

The inspector said O’Driscoll had 125 previous convictions.

Shane Collins-Daly said the accused was serving a sentence of seven years with the last three years of that suspended.

O’Driscoll is due to be released from prison in September 2019.

“He suffers serious drink and drugs addiction. But he is putting his time in custody to good use. He is doing addiction counselling, going to school and working in the prison.

“He is due to go to Coolmine for a one-year long rehabilitation programme.

“He is determined to get himself clean. His father died recently and his father wanted him to get clear of addictions.

“He wants to do that now for his father.”

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed the jail term on the accused on a charge of getting into the parked car on that occasion.

He imposed a five-day prison term on the drunkenness charge.

The sentences will run concurrently with the longer sentence he is presently serving.