Anti-capitalist tyre slasher given chance to avoid prison

A man who was one of a group of three that slashed 128 tyres because of “some sort of complaint they had about capitalism” has been give a chance to avoid prison by coming up with compensation and getting into a college course..

Michael Somers (aged 23) of St. Catherines Foyer, Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8, caused €22,314 worth of damage to the vehicles the group targeted that night. He later told gardaí that they only selected vehicles that were registered after 2003.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three charges of criminal damage September 18, 2007. The charges represented a sample of 24 counts. He had no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention since.

Judge Katherine Delahunt took the “highly unusual step” of adjouring the case for over a year to let Somers “put his money where his mouth is.” She said she also wants to see if he gets into a degree course he is planning to do. Somers' stepmother has already paid over €1,000 in compensation.

Judge Delahunt said she wanted to support Somers in his efforts to “get his life back on the straight and narrow” but warned him this support would cease if he reoffends. She remanded him on continuing bail to appear in October 2011.

Garda Susan Rowland agreed with Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, (with Mr Pieter Le Vert BL), defending, that his client was living in a hostel for the homeless at the time having previously been discharged from a psychiatric hospital.

She agreed that he was approached by this other person who was “very upset with the world” and he got involved in the scheme having seen something on “YouTube”.

Gda Rowland told Mr Garnet Orange BL, prosecuting, that 77 tyres were slashed at Rathdown Motors in Templeogue after the group had wandered through Rathmines and Ranelagh cutting the tyres with a fish gutting knife.

Somers was arrested from CCTV footage and made full admissions. He told gardaí that he had been smoking cannabis earlier that day.

Mr Mill-Arden told Judge Delahunt that Somers' mother died when he was quite young and his father passed away four years ago. He started drinking heavily at 15 and abusing cannabis at 19 years old.

He said that Somers had psychiatric problems in the past and had been prescribed anti-depressants and attended a psychiatric hospital.

Mr Mill-Arden said his client has since started a Fetac course and wanted to pursue a career in camera repair.