Finglas burglar (30) told he must pay for stolen spirits and cider to avoid jail

Daryl Hogan (30) was feeding a drug addiction when he took the alcohol, a court heard.

He also admitted “recklessly” buying a stolen bike for a 10th of its value while his lifestyle was “chaotic”.

Judge Bryan Smyth said he would consider suspending a prison sentence if the €250 compensation was paid to the hotel. Adjourning the case at Dublin District Court, he said he was “not promising anything”.

Hogan, of Kippure Park, Finglas, admitted burglary and possession of stolen property.

Garda Karen O’Connell said that on July 2, 2020, Hogan trespassed at the Castle Hotel, Dublin 1, at 10.24pm when he got in a back entrance.

He took a number of bottles of spirits and a crate of Bulmers cider from the bar area and carried them off the premises.

When his apartment was searched under warrant, a number of bottles were found.

Garda Sean Dineen said he was on patrol on Moore Street on April 15 last year when he saw the accused acting suspiciously, walking from shop to shop with a pedal cycle.

When approached, Hogan said he had bought it “from a young lad for €200”.

However, it was an expensive bicycle worth in excess of €2,000 and the garda arrested Hogan. The owner was found and the bike was returned.

The accused had been living a “very normal, decent life” until 2019, when his father died, his solicitor Roy O’Neill said. After this, he developed a heroin addiction and a “chaotic lifestyle”.

Hogan accepted he was reckless in paying €200 for a bike worth “a lot more than that”.