Serial thief jailed for a month

A HOMELESS man with a string of convictions for theft was jailed for a month for stealing a backpack from an Asian food store at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

The court heard Michael Sherlock (53), of no fixed abode, who has 194 previous convictions including 35 for theft, was “stone drunk” when he stole the backpack, containing its owner’s ATM cards and residency permit, from the Thai Bazaar food store on North Road, Roosky, Monaghan, on December 20, 2025.

The owner immediately reported the backpack stolen to gardaí and officers found Mr Sherlock in possession of it in a nearby bookies.

Defence solicitor Roisin Courtney told the court that the defendant was pleading guilty to the offence but was keen to remain out of prison for Christmas as he had relatives travelling down from the North to spend time with him.

“He was absolutely stone drunk at the time and had his own backpack earlier that day,” Ms Courtney told the court.

She said the defendant, who is currently serving out a three-month suspended sentence for another offence, is facing the “inevitability” of going back into custody.

However she pleaded with judge Gerry Jones to adjourn that until January 5 to give Mr Sherlock some hope of spending Christmas time with his family.

“He can’t go to the North as he got a punishment beating there and only has one leg because of it,” Ms Courtney added.

She said that, instead, he had relatives coming down south to spend Christmas with him.

Judge Jones sentenced the defendant to one month in prison.