Heroin addict jailed for pawning widow's 45-year-old wedding ring

Judge tells man he should have 'sang like a bird' to gardaí if he wanted leniency

Judge Patrick Durcan jailed Thomas Manning of Black Rd, Newport, Co Tipperary after telling him 'you have an appalling record and the public need to be protected'. Picture: iStock

A judge has jailed for nine months a 36-year old man who pawned a widow’s stolen 45-year-old wedding band and a bracelet for €105.

At Kilrush District Court on Tuesday, Judge Patrick Durcan jailed Thomas Manning of Black Rd, Newport, Co Tipperary after telling him “you have an appalling record and the public need to be protected”.

Manning has 47 previous convictions including 13 under the Theft Act and Garda John Jenks told the court that  Manning was not co-operative about how he came into the possession of the stolen items.

Judge Durcan told Manning: “If you want leniency from this court, then when you are dealing with Garda Jenks, you should sing like a bird.” The judge said: “Now grow up and shape up and don’t look for sympathy."

Judge Durcan said: “Anyone who enters the dwelling house of another person and invades their privacy and their bedroom and goes through their jewellery and ravages through it is doing a terrible thing.

“But the person who subsequently handles and facilitates the stolen goods in my view commits a greater offence."

Manning pleaded guilty to handling the stolen goods at Hampton’s Jewellers, Roches St, Limerick on August 30, 2018.

Garda Jenks said the widow’s house was burgled the previous day on August 29, 2018 where a large amount of jewellery was stolen.

The couple married in 1975 and Garda Jenks stated that the stolen wedding band “is of great sentimental value as her husband is deceased”.

Garda Jenks said Hamptons and other jewellers in Limerick were asked to buy in the items as the woman wanted to get her wedding ring back.

Garda Jenks said CCTV at Hamptons showed Manning pawning the items at the jewellers on August 30.

Garda Jenks said Manning was arrested in October 2018 on suspicion of burglary but admitted only to handling the stolen property.

Solicitor for Manning, Monica Roche told the court that he is a heroin addict.

Ms Roche said: “Mr Manning is addicted to heroin and would have done anything for a smoke. 

"He did what he was asked to do by this person and went into the shop. His addiction made him do what he did.” 

Manning told Judge Durcan: “Sorry for what I done. I done it for drugs.”