Heroin addict in Midlands jailed for a year was handed suspended prison sentence just 48 hours before theft

A heroin addict who stole over €700 worth of clothes from a fashion store in the Midlands two days after being handed a suspended prison sentence for theft has been sentenced to 12 months behind bars.

Grant Rennie (26), of no fixed abode, was handed down a 15 month sentence with the final three months suspended after pleading guilty to a string of shoplifting offences.

The most recent of those, it emerged at a sitting of Longford District Court last week, came at Dv8, Ballymahon Street, Longford last Saturday week (March 25).

That incident, Judge Bernadette Owens, took place some 48 hours after the Scottish born accused was handed a four month sentence, suspended for two years at Cloverhill District Court.

Inspector Declan McGlynn, in outlining the State's case, said Mr Rennie entered the store shortly before 4:30pm and took a number of items of clothing from the rails before exiting the scene on foot.

Mr Rennie was quickly identified and arrested just over an hour later before being brought before a special court sitting that evening.

The entire contents from that incident totalled €730 with the court learning it was one of five charges which were before the court.

The first of those Inspector McGlynn said was reported on January 22 at Sports Direct, Ballymahon Street, Longford.

On that occasion, Mr Rennie was spotted entering the sports store where he stole two CP company jackets and a hoodie in a raid which exceeded €1,000.

The court was also told that despite Mr Rennie being arrested some time later and admitting the offence, none of the items were recovered.

It was a similar scenario some four months later when Mr Rennie this time targeted Longford town restaurant Spice India.

It was revealed Mr Rennie broke into the the rear of the main street establishment with a male accomplice shortly after 5am.
Once inside the pair focused on taking a cash till which was valued at €800 and contained €237.

Mr Rennie also stole €400 worth of alcoholic drinks with none of the items being recovered.

The following month, gardaí had to be called to Longford town's Permanent TSB offices on Lower Main Street after staff were forced to lock themselves in an office due to Mr Rennie's erratic behaviour.

That resulted in Mr Rennie being charged with engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour.

Mr Rennie, who pleaded guilty to all charges, was likewise charged with shoplifting at Aldi, Athlone Road, Longford on August 31.

During that incident, Mr Rennie was found to have stolen a bottle of gin, priced at €33, the contents of which were also not recovered.

Defence solicitor Frank Gearty said the anguish of seeing a young man with a bright future ahead of him to suddenly appear on the local crime scene because of drugs “told its own story”.

The experienced and long serving local solicitor said his client's previously unblemished record was borne out by his holding down of a well respected position in a local medical firm.

“He was earning good money and unfortunately heroin reared its head,” said Mr Gearty.

“He is responsible for his actions and will take the consequences today.”

Mr Gearty said there was an almost “middle class” element to Mr Rennie prior to succumbing to what he termed as a “particularly grievous compulsion” to take heroin.

“When sober he (Mr Rennie) is a very well spoken and good person to deal with and was a good support to his partner who he lived with for a number of years.

“But heroin got to him and he turned to crime to serve his habit.

Mr Gearty, in continuing his mitigation, implored Judge Owens to adopt a lenient approach in passing sentence as possible given his early plea.

In handing down sentence, Judge Owens sentenced Mr Rennie to five months in prison for the January shoplifting incident at Sports Direct given the substantial haul the accused made off with and how no property was recovered.

Upon hearing how Mr Rennie was on bail at the time of the Dv8 theft, Judge Owens handed down a ten month sentence to run consecutively to the aforementioned Sports Direct theft.

Judge Owens said that the length of the sentence had also factored in Mr Rennie's early guilty plea.

She suspended the final three months of that sentence for 12 months and said it was being done so subject to the supervision of the probation services.

The rest of the remaining charges were taken into consideration.

Mr Gearty indicated an appeal may be lodged by his client and asked for recognisances to be fixed.

Judge Owens fixed those terms in Mr Rennie's own bond of €250 as well as a requirement for an independent surety of €2,000, with €1,000 of that to be lodged in cash.
The identity of that independent surety, she said, would have to be approved subject to the court's approval with 48 hours notice to be given beforehand.