Sentence adjourned in drug-addict jewel-thief case

A heroin addict who was found carrying €24,000 worth of stolen jewellery and €2,700 in cash in a sock has had his sentence adjourned by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

James McAuley (aged 25) of Fishermans Wharf, Ringsend, Dublin, pleaded guilty to stealing the jewellery and the cash from a house in Cremore Villas, Finglas, Dublin, on July 18, 2002.

McAuley also pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag from a house on Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin, on June 2, 2003, for which he received a three-year suspended sentence.

Garda Derek Commiskey told Ms Martina Baxter BL, prosecuting, that he received a call from an off-duty garda who had observered McAuley jumping off a garage onto a driveway. This garda pursued McAuley until he reached Gda Commiskey in the patrol vehicle.

McAuley was arrested and a search revealed a sock hidden in his pocket containing a substantial quantity of jewellery and €2,700 cash. He did not give the gardaí any information about where he had obtained the items, and claimed they belonged to him.

Gda Commiskey said gardaí called to a number of houses in Cremore Villas to ascertain if any residents’ homes had been broken into.

A lady arrived home on July 19 to her house from an overnight stay at a wedding to find the gardaí waiting for her. When she admitted them she discovered her house had been ransacked and a quantity of jewellery taken, along with cash in euros and sterling from her son’s bedroom.

She later identified the jewellery found on McAuley as her own and told gardaí it was worth an estimated €24,000.

Gda Commiskey agreed in cross-examination by Mr Raymond Farrell BL, defending, that all the property was recovered. He accepted that McAuley had committed the crime to feed a heroin addiction that he had since he was 14 years old.

Mr Farrell told Judge Desmond Hogan that due to his long-running heroin addiction his client has a severe heart problem and had recently undergone heart surgery.

Judge Hogan adjourned sentencing to November 30, when evidence will be heard regarding a house McAuley robbed in September 20 last, where he imprisoned one of the occupants.

McAuley pleaded guilty to robbery of the house on Gracepark Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, and the imprisonment.

Judge Hogan jailed McAuley for three years for stealing the handbag from the house in Rathgar, but suspended this on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for four years.

Garda John Fitzgerald told Judge Hogan there was an objection to McAuley being granted bail pending the sentence for stealing the jewellery, because of the outstanding charges against him and a fear that he would commit further offences.

Judge Hogan granted bail and said that McAuley now had a "heavy sentence hanging over his head" should he breach his bail conditions. He also took into consideration his severe medical condition.