Jailed for 'litany of crime'

Two young Cavan men who engaged in what was described as a "frightening litany of crime" over two months in 2006 were each jailed for two and a half years by Judge John O'Hagan at Cavan Circuit Court this week. Sentencing the defendants, Andrew Boylan, (21), Kill, Kilnaleck and David Weritz, (24), Pollakeel, Carrickaboy, the judge said that they knew that their actions were wrong and while they came up with compensation the seriousness of the offences was such that they warranted imprisonment. Monica Lalor (instructed by Rory Hayden, state solicitor), prosecuted and Frank Martin (instructed by Michael Ryan), represented the defendants. Andrew Boylan was sentenced on the following charges: that between 10pm on October 31, 2007 and 4am on November 1, 2007, at Gortnakillew, Poles, he damaged a gate and pier at the entrance to a house; on October 30, 2007, at Carnin, Ballyjamesduff, he used a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner; between October 6 and October 13, 2007, at Kill, Kilnaleck, he dishonestly appropriated wooden fencing, nails and sledge hammer to the value of €740; between October 6 and October 8, 2007, at Killydoon he dishonestly appropriated turf to the value of €280; and between 4.45pm on October 5, 2007 and 9am on November 6, 2007, at Freeduff, Kilcogy, he dishonestly appropriated chainsaws and cans of spray paint. Weritz was sentenced on the following charges: On October 30, 2007, at Castlerahan, Ballyjamesduff, he damaged the windows of two dumper trucks to the amount of €1,000; between October 29, 2007 and October 31, 2007, at Cormaddyduff, Virginia, he damaged a quad to the approximate amount of €3,000; between 5pm on November 5, 2007 and 6.45am on November 6, 2007, at Foxfield, Omard, Kilnaleck, he damaged the windows of a schoolbus to the value of €10,186; between October 31, 2007 and November 6, 2007, at Duffcastle, Crosserlough, he damaged the petrol tank of a vehicle to the approximate value of €1,500; and between October 6 and October 13, 2007, at Kill, Kilnaleck, he appropriated fencing and timber nails to the value of €740. Judge O'Hagan affirmed a number of convictions and sentences imposed in the district court against this defendant, which were the subject of appeal. Those prison sentences are to run concurrently with the sentences for the indictable offences. Outlining the cases appealed from the district court, Garda Michael Moran revealed that Weritz received a series of six-month prison sentences for trespass and theft of schools in the area. When the defendant was arrested on April 25, 2006 he admitted the offences. He didn't have any previous convictions at that time. Outlining the indictable charges against the defendants, Sergeant David Shields, Cavan, stated that 18 civilians made statements in relation to the incidents before the court. In relation to the incident on November 5, 2007, Danny Reilly locked his premises and when he returned the following morning the walls were covered with graffiti. Thirty bags of cement were missing, which were later recovered at Mr. Weritz's house. On October 9, 2007, a farmer's tractor was stolen. The vehicle was driven across ditches - €3,700 damage was caused to it. The defendants used the grab on the tractor to lift a car and roll it down the road. Sergeant Shields outlined further cases against Boylan including the theft of a CD radio stolen from a lorry, the theft of 150 bags of turf from Vincent Dolan, the damage to a vintage Mercedes owned by Thomas Kane. The Sergeant said that Mr. Weritz lived with his partner. His former employer found him to be a conscientious worker. Mr. Boylan lived in Cavan town and did part time work delivering take-aways. Replying to Mr. Martin, witness agreed that Weritz had stayed out of trouble since this spate of incidents. He was aware that there was a terrible tragedy in this defendant's family. He agreed that both defendants were co-operative and assisted gardaí in respect of some of the crimes that they had committed. Seeking the mercy of the court, Mr. Martin submitted that his clients had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He referred to the medical reports prepared on both. Judge O'Hagan said the defendants had engaged in a frightening litany of crime. They enjoyed thrashing other people's property. He sentenced them as stated.