Mayo man caused €1,300 worth of damage to property in Castlebar

A MAN with a longstanding drug problem who caused over €1,300 worth of damage to property in the centre of Castlebar received a suspended prison sentence.

John Joe Hopkins (44) with an address at Rowan Drive, Castlebar appeared before Castlebar District Court where he admitted to criminal damage to two parked cars and a bookmakers window in Castlebar.

Garda Liam Gaughan explained that July 18, 2023, gardaí received a number of reports of criminal damage to property in the centre of Castlebar which occurred on July 17 and 18.

Garda Gaughan said the property was damaged along Castle Street and Main Street and occurred in sequence when the defendant caused damage to parked cars and also smashed the window of Ladbrokes bookmakers on Castle Street.

The court heard that €1,325 in total of damage was caused and Mr Hopkins was identified as the culprit after CCTV footage was viewed.

Mr Hopkins has 50 previous convictions and Ms Cathy McDarby, solicitor for the defendant said her client has a long and troubled background who has abused his body by taking drugs to such an extent he has a number of medical problems.

She added he was homeless and living in sheltered accommodation in Ballinrobe but was now working with his GP to deal with his medical problems.

Ms McDarby said he was willing to forgo a €750 bail bond to go towards compensation for the damage caused and had another €180 to handover to the court. She said that for Mr Hopkins this was a lot of money and asked Judge Vincent Deane not to send him back to prison as it had not worked for him in the past.

Judge Deane imposed a five month prison sentence but suspended it in its entirety for a two years period. He also directed that the owners of the two cars receive what they are owed from the compensation and for what was left over to go to the bookmaker.