M&Ms thief threatened to kill security guard and burn down Dunnes Stores in Cork
One Eight Heard Arson Convictions, For Six Theft, Accused Court And 35 Had Damage The Cummins For Criminal Larry Picture: Including Previous For
A man who stole two packets of M&Ms from a supermarket has admitted in the district court he threatened to burn down the store and kill a security guard when he was stopped after committing the theft.
Andrew Barry, 29, of Castle Park, Mallow Co Cork, pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges when he appeared before Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court.
Inspector Paul Aherne told the court that on February 6, 2024, Barry was observed by security staff at Dunnes Stores in Mallow on CCTV taking two pouches of M&Ms valued at €8 from a shelf and putting them in his pockets. He then left without paying for the items.
He was approached by staff outside the store and agreed to go back inside. When questioned, Barry became aggressive and told staff he would burn down the store and threatened the security officer he would find out where he lived and “get him.”
Gardaí were called and Barry repeated the threats in the presence of a garda.
The court heard Barry was also pleading guilty to five other thefts.
On February 9, 2024, he admitted taking a can of Red Bull valued at €2.45 from the cooler in Herlihy’s Centra in Mallow and leaving without paying.
On February 21, 2024 he admitted taking Red Bull and peanuts valued at €5 from Spar in Ballydahin, and on February 23, 2024, he took Red Bull and cakes valued at €8 from the same store.
On February 24, 2024, Barry ordered hot food from the same Spar shop and paid for it but he also took a bottle of Lucozade valued at €1.20 without paying for it. He returned to the shop later the same day and ordered more hot food which he again paid for, but on that occasion he took a can of Red Bull valued at €3.45 without paying.
The court heard Barry had 35 previous convictions, including six for theft, eight for criminal damage and one for arson.
Defence solicitor Charles O’Connor said Barry had a very difficult upbringing and the threats made were “really just utterances”. He said Barry apologised for his behaviour.
Judge Colm Roberts said: “When you threaten to burn someone out and you have a conviction for arson it becomes a different matter.”
He said Barry appeared to lead “a volatile lifestyle”, which meant he was not able to access supports that were available to him. The judge said: “If he continues to live in chaos he is going to continue to commit crimes.”
Judge Roberts said this was Mr Barry’s last chance to “get his act together” and committing even the smallest theft would see him sent to prison for “a number of months”.
For the threat to kill, Barry was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years; for the threat to burn down Dunnes Stores he was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for two years to run consecutively. The theft of the M&Ms was taken into consideration and Barry was also ordered to have no contact with the injured party and barred from Dunnes Stores in Mallow for two years.
For the other thefts, he was sentenced to a total of nine months in prison, seven consecutive and two concurrent, suspended for two years.
He was also barred from entering the Spar shop for two years. Recognisance in the event of an appeal was fixed in his own bond of €500.