Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A 23-YEAR-OLD ENNIS man ripped off four Ed Sheeran fans to the tune of €460 to fund a drink and drugs spree, a court heard yesterday.
In the case, Judge Patrick Durcan jailed Daragh O’Donoghue for nine months for stealing €460 from the four Ed Sheeran fans and for the separate offence of stealing €250 from a man’s wallet at a Thai Massage Parlour in Ennis.
In the case, four Ed Sheeran fans replied to online ads for tickets to Ed Sheeran’s 3Arena gigs in April and paid over the €460 into a bank account owned by Daragh O’Donoghue of Clancy Park, Ennis.
The fans paid between €200 and €60 for their tickets. None of the monies paid over by the Ed Sheeran fans has been recovered.
O’Donoghue played a part in the scam by allowing his bank details be used for the monies to be lodged into and he was a beneficiary of some of the moneys.
Solicitor for O’Donoghue, Tara Godfrey told Ennis District Court that he “wasn’t the mastermind – he played an important [role] but wasn’t totally in charge of the operation”.
Godfrey said that her client was taking dangerous amounts of drugs at the time of the offences in March and April of this year and the money he earned from the crime was to go towards drink and drugs.
O’Donoghue also stole €250 from the wallet of a man at a Thai Massage Parlour on Mill Road in Ennis on 4 April.
O’Donoghue has been in custody on another matter since 25 April last and Judge Durcan backdated the sentence to commence on that date.
Godfrey told the court about O’Donoghue’s efforts to address his drink and drug issues.
In sentencing O’Donoghue, Judge Durcan said “there is complete silence today” about the victims of the defendant’s crimes “other than they lost money through Mr O’Donoghue’s criminality”.
He said: “I don’t know whether these people are employed or unemployed. If they won the Lotto or are struggling or if they have children but because of Mr O’Donoghue’s criminality, they lost money.”
Addressing O’Donoghue, Judge Durcan said: “You have hurt these people and I am sentencing you to nine months so that all of these victims know that you received nine months in jail for your criminality.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Wow. A Judge handing down an ACTUAL sentence. Practically unheard of these days (unless it has suspended before it).
@Willie Murphy: yeah was waiting to read the suspended bit
Proper order. Sc@mbag!
@cp: Pity if higher up criminals are not caught or already caught for masterminding this crime and many more, more serious crimes.
The guy in the massage parlour finally got his happy ending.
He certainly wasn’t the mastermind if he allowed his personal bank account to be used – how did he think he’d get away with it??
That said, nine months seems a bit extreme for the scale of the crime unless there’s a long list of previous or a past suspended sentence being activated.
@Avina Laaf: fraud. Costs the taxpayer millions every year.. nothing extreme about 9 months at all.!! About time judges started giving proper sentences!
@cp:
Ripping off Ed Sheeran fans to the tune of €460 hardly cost the taxpayer millions!
I’m not defending the dirtbird, but unless there are other factors involved (which I’m assuming must be the case) it doesn’t seem like a good use of taxpayers money to keep him locked up for 9 months for a relatively small crime, particularly when others are getting away with far worse.
He never repaid any money . Obviously he doesn’t give a fook so maybe that’s why he got time. Either way there’s nothing wrong with the sentence . He’s an addict . Maybe jail will be good for him.
@Avina Laaf: did you not read the article ? he has been in custody on another matter since April and so this was back dated to commence on that date ?? So in addition to the two robberies he’s already in custody on another matter and you think 9 months is extreme ? How exactly do you suggest multiple offending / repeat offenders who steal to go on drink and drug binges should be sentenced ?? He has 5 months already done so another 4 months in custody for these offences is whats being sentenced ? and you think thats extreme ?? mind boggles.
Meanwhile in the Banking Community if u are being ripped of for a tracker mortgage – its business as usual.
@Martin Critten: don’t worry – banks defrauding their mortgage customers not in the same league at all – the Central Bank of Ireland isn’t bothered in the slightest.
He should have his dole payments cut to compensate the victims. Also, yer man in the passage parlour with €250 in his wallet. I wonder what he told his wife!
This is a proper sentence. Just one thing. Why isn’t he paying back what he stole? I know of too many rogues especially rogue businessmen who brazenly do not pay their debts and swan around in their Mercs.
Justice but sentence a bit harsh I think.
If only he worked for Anglo he would have walked.
The judge must be a Edd Sheeran fan
Good.
Could only imagine what sentence the judge would give Ed Sheeran himself!
Would everyone give their heads a wobble. This clearly is a junkie so hardly his first conviction or crime. 2nd he got 9 months for 2 separate robberies and 3rdly and more importantly the judge back dated it to April wen he was incarcerated on a 3rd charge. So he basically got 4 months. Keeps his head down he’ll be out robbing gifts from under Xmas trees soon enough.
Judge must have it in for him, 9-months is a lot for size of the crime.
@Grumpy Bollovks: is it though? Or are we all conditioned to think it is given the leniency of far worse crimes
@Grumpy Bollovks: It only seems excessive in comparison to the usual sentences handed out by other head-in-the-clouds Irish judges.
So he can mix with other criminals and learn how to do it and not get caught next time. Why not give him community service and a record. Make him pay back the money. That would be more productive.
Question, it said he had/has a drug addiction and that’s why he did it, if this was a ordinary man/woman off the street with no addiction would the judge have hand down the same sentence.
9 months isnt too bad considering the rat would have had his hand chopped off in Saudi Arabia
When you rob minor amounts from the public you get a sentence but when you rob millions you get away Scott free!! Riiiiiiiiiight!!!
Now make all touting illegal like they have in other countries. It would cut out most of this crap instantly.
This guy gets 9 months for a “small crime” but yet there are still murderers, rapists and paedophiles roaming the streets. Sense… makes a lot of it.
Typical with our system of Justice. Jail someone for stealing a relatively modest amount without the use of violence when so many who pose a serious threat to society often receive suspended sentences.
have your say