Kildare man gets third prison sentence in a year
Athy courthouse
A MAN who pretended he was going to the toilet when found trespassing in an Athy shop was sentenced to ten months in prison – his third custodial sentence of the calendar year.
Patrick Stokes (44) currently with an address c/o Peter McVerry Trust, Eyre Street, Newbridge, but previously with addresses in Castledermot and Carlow, was appearing at Athy District Court from custody, where he pleaded guilty to burglary and trespass at a premises on Leinster Street, Athy on 18 July 2024.
When his case was called, there was a moment of confusion as to where he was, but this was very quickly cleared up by Judge Desmond Zaidan, who has been dealing with Mr Stokes for years.
“He’s right there!” said the judge, pointing in at the dock. “Everybody knows Paddy! He’s right there!”
Inspector Jason Crotty for the state outlined the offences before the court for the judge.
“This was a shop with a residence in the back, and when he was discovered, he pretended he was going to the toilet,” the inspector said.
It was alleged that Mr Stokes took a purse, a ring worth €600 and a chain necklace worth €300.
“What’s Paddy’s condition? Is it drugs?” asked the judge.
“We got the purse straightaway,” said the arresting garda.
“What happened with the ring and the chain?” asked the judge.
“Most likely they went to feed his addiction,” conceded Mr Stokes’s solicitor Seamus Boyle.
“If I took a ring and a chain off you, you wouldn’t be happy,” noted the judge, before conceding: “In your credit, every time the law catches up on you, you put your hands up.”
“He’s finished with the drugs,” said Mr Boyle, “he’s not able to do this anymore.”
When the inspector revealed that Mr Stokes had 135 previous convictions, Judge Zaidan sentenced him to a further ten months in prison.
He had last been sentenced to ten months in March, and also appeared from custody on that occasion as he was then serving a six-month sentence for a previous offence. He was released from his March sentence only on 4 August.
