Three Carlow defendants jailed for violent disorder
Polonez shop, Carlow
Judge Geraldine Carthy last week sentenced three defendants to prison after she viewed CCTV footage of an incident which she described as "shocking” and “extremely serious”.
Full evidence about the incident that occurred at the Poleonez shop, Centaur Street, Carlow, had been heard at a previous sitting in which footage of the incident was shown in court. Judge Carthy had adjourned sentencing for the preparation of probation reports and last week, she finalised the matter.
Eve Craddock, with addresses on Brownshill Road, Carlow and Centaur Court, Carlow was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment for using, or threatening to use, unlawful violence at the Polonez shop, Centaur Street, Carlow on 10 August 2023; Christopher Morris of no fixed abode was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for the same offence during the same incident while Joe Lea, Dolmen Gardens, Carlow and of Doonane Terrace, Crettyard, Co Laois, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for the same offence.
Mr Lea also pleaded guilty to the production of a butcher’s knife during the same offence while he also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of the theft of a pair of runners from Sports Direct, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow, on 15 May 2023.
Judge Carthy remarked when sentencing Ms Craddock (22), Mr Lea (31) and Mr Morris (31) that the incident was so serious that it should have been dealt with in the circuit court. She said that the fact that “two innocent people were chased” and that a knife was produced was “shocking and extremely serious”.
She then said to Ms Craddock that she “couldn’t believe” that she could behave in the way that she did. She also noted that though Ms Craddock had pleaded guilty she had shown no remorse about what she had done. Judge Carthy then sentenced her to seven months’ imprisonment.
She told Mr Lea that he was “probably the main offender” but that his probation report said that he was aware of the hurt he had caused.
All three defendants are appealing their sentences and were released on bail under certain conditions, including to avoid the Polonez shop on Centaur Street.
A fourth defendant, Linda Lyons of Staplestown Road, Carlow, who was also charged with using or threatening to use unlawful violence at the incident in Centaur Street, Carlow, was in residential treatment for drug addiction.
She was charged further charged with the theft of beer worth €54 from the Polonez shop during the same incident. Judge Carthy adjourned sentencing Ms Lyons, (32), until 11 September next.
