‘Lock me up today’ - defendant tells judge

Addict jailed for theft of children’s clothes

“Lock me up today and get it over with please,” a defendant urged a district court judge at a local court sitting.

James Smith, a man with addiction issues, got his wish when Judge Raymond Finnegan sentenced him to five months in prison for stealing hundreds of euro worth of children’s clothes.

James Smith (41) with an address at a property in Oak Manor, Drumgola Woods, Cavan, was charged with the theft of €569.40 of worth of clothes from Pretty Patterns on Bridge Street in Cavan.

His case came before Cavan District Court recently to review a probation report, which was incomplete as the defendant had been unable to meet his probation officer.

Addressing the court, Smith himself said that he is struggling with COPD. “My lungs are that bad, I couldn’t see the probationer,” he told the judge.

The court heard the defendant was drunk when he took the clothes and the goods had been recovered. He had six children at home.

He had 150 previous convictions, the court was told, all of a “similar nature”. His last conviction for theft was in July 2024 for which he received a four-month sentence.

Imposing a conviction and five-month sentence in the case, the judge remarked that the “reality” was Smith would “probably be out in two to three days” in an apparent reference to prison overcrowding.

Nevertheless, the judge directed that the defendant get treatment for his addiction issues in custody.

Smith was represented by Joseph Smith BL.