Stole van from person who gave him a lift – then crashed it

A 27-YEAR-OLD Monaghan man, currently serving a prison sentence for assaults, has been given an additional nine months for separate offences including stealing a car and crashing it before trespassing in a bid to escape being caught.

In passing sentence at Monaghan District Court, Judge Raymond Finnegan told the defendant the new custodial terms probably wouldn’t interfere with his anticipated release date in December.

Daryll O’Leary, with an address at Woodview, Killygoan, Monaghan Town, appeared by video link from prison to plead guilty to charges of unlawfully taking a VW Caddy van from a person who had agreed to give him a lift, to stealing van keys (valued €50), and of having no licence nor insurance to drive it, all at Sillis, Glaslough on March 6 last. O’Leary also admitted trespassing on the curtilage of a building at Cornacassa Demesne, Clones Road, Monaghan Town on the same date.

He was also before the court for contravening an order previously given by Judge Finnegan to not make contact with, another man at a specified address. This had occurred on the previous day, March 5, in the form of a phonecall. Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the man, who was granted the order, had reported to Monaghan Garda Station that O’Leary called him up and was verbally abusive.

On March 6 another man had agreed to give O’Leary a lift to Monaghan Town from Sillis, Glaslough. But after getting out of his vehicle to close a gate, the man returned to find O’Leary had drove away.

The defendant did not have permission to take the van, nor a valid driving licence or insurance to cover him on the date, Sergeant McEntee said. The same vehicle was located close to Monaghan Town with its left-side front wheel buckled and front bumper pulled off. It was not driveable and the keys were in the ignition.

During a search of the area, O’Leary was discovered hiding in the grounds of a house at Cornacassa Demesne.

The defendant had 96 previous convictions, the sergeant confirmed, and was already serving a 16-month sentence given at Cavan Circuit Court in relation to assault charges.

He also had a series of relevant convictions for road traffic offences and, most recently, was disqualified for 15 years in May 2023 for driving under the influence.

Solicitor Martin Cosgrove said his client was well known to the court and currently serving a sentence with a release date scheduled for December 8 next. He had been given a job in the prison kitchen and was “doing really well”. He was also doing a few courses with a view to sorting himself out. O’Leary’s problems were all generally related to drink, his lawyer remarked.

For the breach of the safety order, a €500 fine was imposed, with five days’ imprisonment in default; while consecutive five- and four-month prison terms were given for the counts of no insurance and the unauthorised taking of the vehicle respectively. A 20-year driving ban was also attached to the insurance offence.

Judge Finnegan told the defendant that this amounted to nine months’ prison in total, but added, “It will be unlikely to interfere with your release date, given the way prisons are.”

The remaining charges were taken into account.