Teen found with clawhammer and balaclava in stolen car
Carlow Courthouse
A TEENAGER who was discovered by gardaí in a stolen car with items such as a clawhammer and a balaclava appeared before Carlow District Court last week.
Eighteen-year-old Aaron McLean was charged with possessing articles with intent, such as a clawhammer, a visegrip, gloves and a balaclava in Springfield Park, Carlow on 29 July last year. He was also charged with the unauthorised taking of a car arising from the same incident, with Inspector Tom Jones informing the court that the car had been stolen some days previously, on 24 July.
Insp Jones outlined the case to Judge Geraldine Carthy saying that gardaí had received a report of a car acting suspiciously in the Mill Race area of Carlow town and that when they went to investigate, they saw the car in Springfield Park. As the squad car approached, the car reversed at speed and crashed into them.
He continued that the gardaí took the three male occupants out of the car, including Mr McLean, and when they searched the vehicle they found the items mentioned.
Insp Jones told Judge Carthy that the defendant had 31 previous convictions, including violent disorder, assault and possession of drugs, most of which had been dealt with in the juvenile court.
Nicholas Revilles BL told the court that his client had been “keeping bad company with ne’er do wells” at the time but that he was no longer associated with them.
He continued that Mr McLean had sought help from an organisation called the Solas programme and was accompanied in court by his key worker. Mr Revilles also said that his client was living at home with his parents and was now in employment on a bin lorry, and that further offending was “unlikely”.
Judge Carthy said she was considering a custodial sentence for Mr McLean as she could see “no other sentence being appropriate” because of the seriousness of the offences and because of the number of previous convictions.
She ordered a probation report to be prepared on Mr McLean, with an address at Comeragh Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12, but said that she was “making no promises”. She then adjourned the matter to 7 May next.
