Jail for man discovered with large amount of stolen money in underwear

A man who was discovered by gardaí to have a large amount of stolen money in his underwear has been jailed for two years.

Douglas Byrne (aged 47) of Greenland Cresent, Clondalkin, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling stolen property and possession of scissors at Rolestown Garda Station on August 18, 2018.

Judge Melaine Greally sentenced Byrne to three years imprisonment but suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions.

The court heard that on the date in question, gardaí observed Byrne in a highly intoxicated state. Gardaí attempted to speak to him and he fled, eventually being arrested.

He was searched in the garda station and they discovered a large amount of money in his underwear. Gardaí determined that the €1,731.50 was the property of Far East Chinese Restaurant, on Ballyfermot Road.

Byrne was charged with the burglary of the restaurant but pleaded not guilty and this charge has been dropped. He has 120 previous convictions, including convictions for burglary, theft and drug offences.

Luigi Rea BL, defending, said his client is now drug-free. He said there was no urine analysis available to corroborate this despite it being ordered on a previous date.

Judge Greally said Byrne had a disadvantaged start in life and was attracted to drugs. She said he had had a battle with addiction since his early years and had served many prison sentences.

She said there were no particularly aggravating factors other than Byrne being on bail for an offence committed 10 days earlier at the time and his previous convictions for burglary and theft-related offences.

Judge Greally said the mitigating factors were his pleas of guilty, his personal history and his addiction history. She backdated the sentence to August 28, last, when he first went into custody on this matter.