Cork man who is 'black sheep of the family' admits shoplifting and public order offences

Court told accused did not begin offending until he was 40, when alcohol took such a grip he began to commit crime

Defendant shoplifted at Lidl, Bishopstown, on July 22. File picture

“The black sheep of the family” was how a man was described as he faced sentencing for a plethora of offences, including shoplifting and public order matters.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said unusually in the case of 45-year-old Angus Clement, of Cork Simon Community, his offending did not really commence until he was aged about 40. The defendant had worked in a number of jobs but eventually his addiction to alcohol took such a grip he began to commit crimes.

When he came before the court for the latest offences, he already had 42 previous convictions, including 13 for being drunk and a danger, one for threatening behaviour and 20 for theft.

He has now pleaded guilty to the following offences, for which Judge David Waters sentenced him to a total of six months in prison:

• Shoplifting at Dalton’s Pharmacy on North Main Street, Cork, on August 25;
• Shoplifting at Lidl, Bishopstown, Cork on July 22;
• A public order incident in Cork city at 5pm on August 1, where he was lying on the ground with his legs outstretched on the footpath. Sergeant David Fleming said gardaí went to help him and he abused them, but the aggression consisted only of "verbals";
• Shoplifting on July 16 and July 22 at Maxol on Glasheen Road;
• Shoplifting on July 21 at Ryan’s SuperValu, Togher;
• Theft of a bank card from the counter at Burgerking on St Patrick’s Street;
• Theft of a bottle of wine on August 30 at Centra, South Link Road;
• A public order incident at Tesco Express, Dennehy’s Cross, on July 16, where he told gardaí who arrived on the scene: “F*** you. I don’t give a shit about gardaí.” 

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the theft of the card was something of a new departure but it was not tapped or used to make any purchases and was recovered very soon after it was taken.

Mr Burke said of Angus Clement: “His record, 13 Section 4s [being so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others] tells its own story. He came late to this type of behaviour. Originally from Maryborough, Douglas, he is only in trouble in the last five years. Very much the black sheep of the family, he started drinking, and drinking heavily. More recently, he has been in hospital with stomach issues, no doubt from drink.

“He looks 100 times better than on September 25 when he was arrested and taken into custody. He causes no difficulty in custody. He is on Librium. He had the DTs when he was admitted.” 

Judge Waters imposed a total sentence of six months, backdated to September 25.