Cork teen tells court theft of gift for girlfriend's 16th birthday was 'embarrassing and cruel'

This was only one of many such thefts carried out by 34-year-old John Campion of St. Vincent’s hostel in Cork City in the past year

Sentencing had to be put back on a number of other burglary/theft type offences committed by John Campion until May 27 as victim impact statements had to be prepared. File picture: Larry Cummins

A teenager who had birthday presents for his girlfriend’s 16th birthday in his schoolbag had this stolen from his school, a court has heard.

In a victim impact statement he described the theft as “annoying, embarrassing and cruel”. Judge Mary Dorgan agreed with the victim and said it was a nasty type of theft, where John Campion trespassed at Fr Rock’s school in Cork City centre and took the backpack which was never recovered.

As well as schoolbooks, the bag belonging to the 16-year-old boy contained presents that he had bought for his girlfriend’s birthday on January 11. CCTV in the area showed John Campion leave the premises with the blue backpack.

This was only one of many such thefts carried out by 34-year-old John Campion of St. Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork, in the past year to which he pleaded guilty at Cork District Court. Eddie Burke, solicitor, said John Campion was pleading guilty to all matters against him at the earliest possible time.

On October 7, 2023, at The Raven Bar he was seen on CCTV again with a bag that he took from an area of the premises that was not open to members of the public. There was no confrontation and he left after a minute with the stolen bag.

Ten days later he stole the schoolbag, and on that same day he carried out a theft at The Oliver Plunkett Bar.

On January 17 this year he was found hiding at the scene after an alarm activation at the Coq Bull restaurant on Academy Street. On the same date, he stole a bankcard from Crowley’s Opticians on Grand Parade.

Sentencing

A number of shorter sentences were imposed, concurrent with the sentence of six months imposed on John Campion. One such sentence was imposed on him for going into a staff area of the Elbow Lane restaurant and stealing a jacket on July 30, 2023.

For two car crashes on the Ballinlough Road for which the same man was responsible, Judge Dorgan imposed a driving disqualification of two years and a concurrent four-month sentence.

Sentencing had to be put back on a number of other burglary/theft type offences committed by John Campion until May 27 as victim impact statements had to be prepared.