Cork man with 'horrendous record' of 510 convictions jailed for travelling in stolen car

Accused became addicted to heroin in prison at a young age and it has 'blighted his life since then', court told

Accused also admitted shoplifting at Lifestyle in Wilton, where he stole €125 worth of Nike clothing. Picture Denis Minihane

A Cork man with a "horrendous record" of 510 previous convictions was jailed for two months on Monday for travelling in a stolen car — the detection of which was assisted by the owner having a tracker attached to the vehicle.

Judge Catherine Ryan said of 39-year-old Anthony O’Sullivan, of 17 Araglen Court, Togher, Cork: “It is a shame that it appears to be something of a lifestyle choice for him at this stage. I would have hoped that some sort of rehabilitation would have kicked in at this stage.

“I hope his time in custody will assist him staying off substances and getting on some kind of track.” 

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said of the accused, who has been getting into trouble for more than half of his life, that he has been in and out of some form of detention for a long time. “His problem was that he got on to heroin in prison at a very young age. And it has blighted his life since then.

“He has been on heroin substitutes, methadone and more recently suboxone, but at the beginning of 2025 he came off suboxone of his own volition but he lapsed very quickly. He got back into a situation he felt he had gotten out of. He is hoping to wean off heroin when he gets out of prison. Hopefully he will stay on suboxone and wean off it more gradually. It has been a horrific blight on his life,” Mr Kelleher said.

Judge Ryan said: “His record is horrendous.” 

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the defendant had among his many convictions, two for interfering with cars, eight for stealing cars, three for robbery and two for burglary.

The latest offence occurred at Wilton Court in Cork on September 25, 2025, when a man’s work vehicle, a 2025-registered Dacia Duster, was stolen from outside his home. It had a GPS tracker device and the owner was able to inform gardaí it was at Doughcloyne industrial estate.

Sgt Davis said the defendant was arrested with another man in close proximity to the stolen vehicle. He pleaded guilty to a count of allowing himself to be carried in the stolen car.

He also admitted shoplifting around this time at Lifestyle in Wilton, on September 13, where he stole €125 worth of Nike clothing.