*Ennis Garda Station.
A 30-year old ENNIS man’s decision to try to break into cars at the “Fort Knox-like” Ennis Garda Station car-park “makes no sense”.
At Ennis District Court, solicitor, Daragh Hassett said that Nathan Egan’s conduct on the night of 14th/15th of April last at the Garda Station “was like someone trying to break into a prison”.
Mr Hassett said that Mr Egan of Sandfield Court, Ennis had fallen back in with his peers and he had got “a pocketful of tablets”.
Mr Hassett said that prior to the night on April 14th/15th last, Mr Egan had been clean for about eight months and was recovering from a heroin addiction.
In the case, Sgt Louis Moloney said on the night of April14/15th, Mr Egan had tried to gain access to two parked cars in the Ennis Garda Station car-park between 23.50pm and 00.15am.
Sgt Moloney said that Mr Egan did gain entry to a third car in the car park where he stole €100 cash, a lady’s handbag, a bag containing lady’s clothes and a suitcase.
Sgt Moloney said that Mr Egan was arrested at the scene by Gardai.
Sgt Moloney said that all incidents were captured by CCTV and that when questioned in custody, Nathan Egan made admissions.
All the property stolen by Mr Egan was recovered. Sgt Moloney said that Mr Egan has 62 previous convictions including 19 for theft.
Judge Mary Larkin imposed a three month sentence suspending one month of the term and also imposed a three week sentence and backdated the sentences to April 15th when Mr Egan was brought into custody.
Mr Egan had pleaded guilty to trying to gain access to cars owned by Helen Costello and Aoife Bartley at Ennis Garda Station car park and stealing the items from the car belonging to Mairead Anderson in the same car-park.
Mr Hassett described Mr Egan as “a good young man”. Mr Hassett said that up to the incident, Mr Egan had been doing “fairly well” having had significant drug issues in the past.
Mr Hassett said that Mr Egan “had very little memory of what happened when he came around at Ennis Garda Station after the effects of the drugs had worn off”.
Mr Hassett said that heroin “is a horrible drug and ruins your life and is sometimes a fate worse than death if you are a heroin addict”.
Mr Hassett said that Mr Egan had been on a methadone programme and during his time on remand in prison had been enquiries about drug counselling.
