Corkman to serve full prison time after refusing chance of suspended sentence

The man opted to serve a full prison term instead of having two months of the sentence suspended.

A Cork man who was given the option of having two months of his jail term suspended on condition that he would attend at the probation service said he did not want to do that and would serve the full sentence instead.

Thomas O’Sullivan, aged 39, of Cork Simon Community made that clear at Cork District Court.

The man is charged with possession of drugs and theft of a handbag.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said the accused man was caught with €25 worth of drugs for his own use on April 29, 2023, at Paul St, Cork.

Shortly before 4pm on that date, gardaí observed Thomas O’Sullivan acting suspiciously and they approached him on the street.

“He dropped a package and a silver-coloured pipe he had been smoking on the ground.

“When asked, he said it was crack he had been smoking. The drug was confirmed as cocaine on analysis, with a value of €25,” Sgt Murphy said.

On another afternoon around this time, a handbag was stolen from a car parked on O’Connell St in Cork city centre.

Thomas O’Sullivan had 117 previous convictions, including seven convictions for having drugs for his own use and 13 for theft.

Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, said the defendant’s life had been blighted by addiction.

“When he is on the street he invariably takes drugs. He is very mannerly. When he comes out of prison he deals with Cork Alliance and is reducing his methadone at the moment.

“He is hoping to get into St Francis Farm and has struggled for many years. He got into old habits when he got out of prison. He knows he needs to commit to treatment,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Judge Mary Dorgan said after hearing all of these submissions from the defence that she would impose eight months in prison with the last two months suspended, provided he would comply with the directions of the probation service.

However, the 39-year-old spoke up from prison on the video link to court, saying: “I don’t want to do probation.” 

Judge Dorgan said the accused might change his mind.

O’Sullivan said: “I am not going to change my mind.” 

Judge Dorgan said that all she could do in that event was impose the full eight months.