Windows of eight Charleville businesses smashed during one crime spree

Accused — who is already in jail for arson and has now had his sentence increased — had 99 previous convictions, 30 of them for causing criminal damage

A total of eight businesses in Charleville were targeted during the spree. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Business owners throughout Charleville arrived to open their businesses to find that front windows had been smashed overnight leaving them with repair bills running into thousands of euro.

That was the scenario described by Garda Tony O’Connor who investigated the vandalism spree after 3am on the morning of June 1, 2023.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, 35-year-old Damien O’Gorman, of Lochinvar, Bróg Hill Road, Charleville, Co Cork, has had his sentence increased where he was already serving a term for arson.

Garda O’Connor said the front windows of eight separate business premises were smashed during one spree. The properties damaged were O’Brien’s Bar, Mulcahy’s Bar, Lemon Asian Street Food, Geary’s Bar, Murray’s store, Lee’s Centra, O’Connell’s Bar, and Ladbroke’s. The wing mirror of a car was also smashed. The total damage amounted to €8,500.

Garda O’Connor said: “When I arrived on the scene, Damien O’Gorman was in the area. He put his hands up and admitted it.”

Judge Helen Boyle noted that there was no prospect of the accused being in a position to pay for the damage he caused.

He is already serving two and a half years for an arson attack that occurred at Fairview, Love Lane, Charleville, on October 14, 2021.

The accused man had a total of 99 previous convictions, 30 of them for causing criminal damage.

Defence barrister Brian Leahy said that while the accused had a problem with alcohol and drugs and also had a background of learning difficulties there was no question of him being involved in any physical violence.

Mr Leahy said that the defendant was capable of holding down a job and being a normal, stable member of society.

“There was no element of revenge or anything like that in this case. He was just very, very intoxicated,” Mr Leahy said.

He asked the judge to bear in mind the totality of the sentence which would be served by the accused as the new sentence had to be consecutive due to the fact that he was on bail when he committed the offences.

Judge Helen Boyle said it was an act of pointless vandalism. She imposed a sentence of 15 months to commence at the expiry of the sentence he is serving of two and a half years. The final 10 months of the term were suspended.