Car damaging spree accused jailed 

By Claire Henry 

A Circuit Court judge has told a man who went on a spree of damaging cars in an underground car park that “the time has come to stop this pattern of behaviour”. 

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Anthony Condron (29) of Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of criminal damage and trespassing at an underground carpark at Hampton Wood Drive, Finglas, Dublin 11 on September 29, 2022. He has 76 previous convictions, which include theft, public order, criminal damage, burglary and public order. 

Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Elva Duffy said, “The damage caused was €14,000, and this was a significant and serious matter”. 

Judge Duffy said the defendant “was on a spree on the day in question”. She noted that he has 76 previous convictions and that 30 of them are for criminal damage. 

The judge said she accepts that he is doing well in the education system in custody and noted that he has already spent a long period in custody.

Furthermore, she said, “I am somewhat concerned with the drug analysis before the court and the reasons he has given.” 

Judge Duffy sentenced him to three years in prison but suspended the final six months. She told Condron, “The time has come to stop this pattern of behaviour.” 

At a previous hearing, a local garda told Brian Storan, BL, prosecuting, that gardai were dispatched to an incident at the above address.

When they arrived, they saw that a man, later identified as Condron, was being restrained by members of the public.

The carpark, which can hold 100 cars, had multiple damaged cars. 

The court heard that damage had been caused to the fly windows, mirrors, car stereos, windscreens, touch screens, and wheel arches.

Five fire doors had also been damaged. 

The total value of the damage was €14,000 and one of the cars was written off as €7,000 worth of damage had been carried out. 

Another person told gardai that she could not claim for the damage caused as it would increase her insurance premium too much. 

The garda said CCTV footage was obtained, which showed Condron entering the underground carpark via the exit ramp.

Other CCTV footage showed him carrying out the damage. 

The court heard that Condron also made his way up to a communal garden area, where he was seen by a woman and her children, who left the area after seeing him.

A second woman had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance as she was unwell, as her car had been damaged and could not be driven.

The woman had to travel to the hospital without her husband. The court noted that the woman was not unwell due to any actions carried out by Condron. 

When Condron was shown the CCTV footage, he identified himself; he was cooperative and remorseful. 

The garda agreed with Marc Thompson Grolimund BL, defending, that his client was “incredibly remorseful for his actions” and that addiction had been a factor in his client’s offending. 

The garda agreed with counsel that Condron had entered the carpark as he wanted something to sell to feed his habit. He further agreed that 60 of Condron’s previous convictions were all from 2022. 

At a previous hearing, Mr Thompson Grolimund said his client is no longer taking drugs and instructed that urine analyses were requested but not sent by the prison.

Yesterday, when urine analysis was presented to the court, two of the three urine samples had tested positive for THC. Counsel said his client has no idea how the drugs got into his system. 

Counsel handed an educational report to the court, which highlighted the courses Condron is taking while in custody. 

He asked the court to take into account his client’s early guilty plea, his remorse and apologies and that he was an addict at the time of this offending.

He asked the court to structure a sentence that left some light at the end of the tunnel for his client.