Newsagent robber warned to complete community service

Newsagent robber warned to complete community service


A DUBLIN man has failed to complete over half of the community service he received for his part in a robbery in Louisburgh. He has now been told he must complete the service within six months, or go to jail.
Colin Monaghan with an address at World’s End Cottage, Carrowmore, Louisburgh, appeared before Castlebar Circuit Court after he completed only 116 hours out of 240 hours community service he was given when he was sentenced in July 2013. The matter was reentered before the court by the Probation Service after Mr Monaghan failed to keep appointments since returning to live in Dublin.
Mr Monaghan received a four-year suspended prison sentence in July 2013 for his part in the robbery of Kenny’s newsagents in Louisburgh in 2012. Cash, cigarettes and scratch cards worth nearly €10,000 were taken in the robbery.

Failed to complete
Mr Monaghan was also ordered to undertake 240 hours community service, but the court last week heard he failed to complete the order after returning to work in Dublin.
In his defence, Mr Monaghan told Judge Rory MacCabe that he had since secured a job working in a bar in Dublin, where he worked from 5pm to 7am. He said he understood the mistake of not getting in contact with the probation service in Dublin and realised it was his own fault.
Mr Pat Reynolds, BL for the State, asked Mr Monaghan if he realised the probation service was overworked and understaffed and that it was not up to probation offices to ‘run around after you’. Judge Rory MacCabe commented that it seemed he preferred getting money from his job than doing the community service work he had undertaken to do.
Mr Eoin Garavan, BL for the defendant said his client is gainfully employed and contributing to society. He added that he paid €6,000 in compensation and complied to all other court conditions.
Judge MacCabe told Mr Monaghan that had six months to complete the community service. If he failed to do so, he would willgo back  to jail, the judge said.