Eight months’ jail in for serial thief

A 54-YEAR-OLD serial public order and theft defendant who was living rough was given prison sentences totalling eight months when he pleaded guilty to multiple offences of that nature at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

The court was told that Michael Sherlock, of no fixed abode, Monaghan Town, had 195 previous convictions, mostly relating to public order breaches and petty thefts. Sherlock, who is currently serving a sentence for another matter, appeared from Midlands Prison by video link and indicated that he did not wish to appeal the new sentences.

The defendant had pleaded guilty to nine fresh charges, the most recent of which arose from incidents on March 30 last. These included public intoxication at Castle Road, Monaghan Town, where he was found lying on a footpath in a highly intoxicated state, and while in possession of a sharply pointed blade.

Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the defendant had been arrested for his own safety, and that the small kitchen knife was subsequently found in this pocket. He had later explained that he was homeless, and that the knife was mainly for opening tins of food.

Sherlock also admitted stealing a bottle of Tequila, priced at €30, from McNally’s Centra, Main Street, Newbliss, on March 20 gone by. Sgt McEntee confirmed he had left the premises without paying for the item, and that it was not recovered to the shop.

Outlining another public order episode that occurred on Mall Road, Monaghan on January 6, the sergeant said a report was received about a man who had passed out on the footpath at about 3pm that afternoon. This was the defendant, who was very intoxicated and appeared to be a danger to himself and others. When approached, Sherlock shouted verbal abuse at gardaí, calling them “handicapped c**ts” and “dirty b**tards”.

A similar incident had occurred at North Road, Monaghan Town on November 19, 2025, giving rise to charges of public intoxication and abusive behaviour. When Garda David Hoey interacted with him on foot of a report from a member of the public, the defendant had shouted, “Would you ever f**k off you pr**k, I’m going home.”

Sherlock was also before the court for his role in the theft of a car at Crossmoyle, Clones, on February 2, 2025. Sgt McEntee recalled that, on the Saturday in question, Mr Patrick McGrory reported his silver Toyota Corolla stolen. CCTV footage from outside Lipton’s shop was later viewed, and this showed Sherlock to have been a passenger in the vehicle.

Solicitor Roisin Courtney said her client was, unfortunately, very well known to the court. He was a chronic alcoholic with serious addiction problems, and had been of no fixed abode for as long as she had known him. Nor could he return to Northern Ireland, where he lost the use of one leg after suffering a punishment beating many years ago.

Telling Ms Courtney that the defendant’s record was “not good”, Judge Finnegan accepted he should get credit for his guilty pleas. But prison was the only way these offences could be dealt with.

On that basis, two-month sentences were imposed for the wine theft in Newbliss in March, the abusive behaviour at Monaghan’s North Road in November, and again at Mall Road in January, and for the defendant’s involvement in the car theft at Clones in February 2025.

Taking all other counts into consideration, the judge clarified to Ms Courtney that this meant her client was to serve eight months in total. The defendant himself confirmed to the court that he did not want to enter any appeal.

* This article was produced with support from the Courts Reporting Scheme