Judge David Waters sentenced 45-year-old Angus Clement of the Cork Simon Community to a total of six months in prison after the defendant pleaded guilty to a string of shoplifting and public order offences committed across Cork. Solicitor Eddie Burke stated in court that Clement’s offending unusually did not commence until he was about 40 years old, driven by an addiction to alcohol that took such a grip he began to commit crimes despite having worked in a number of jobs previously.
Clement Accumulates Forty Two Previous Convictions
Clement came before the court for his latest matters carrying 42 previous convictions, which include 13 for being drunk and a danger, one for threatening behaviour, and 20 for theft. The guilty pleas covered multiple incidents over the summer months, beginning with a public order incident on July 16 at Tesco Express at Dennehy’s Cross where he told gardaí who arrived on the scene, “F*** you. I don’t give a shit about gardaí.” Additional convictions involved shoplifting at Maxol on Glasheen Road on July 16 and July 22, shoplifting at Ryan’s SuperValu in Togher on July 21, and shoplifting at Lidl in Bishopstown on July 22. Further offences included a theft of a bank card from the counter at Burger King on St Patrick’s Street, shoplifting at Dalton’s Pharmacy on North Main Street on August 25, and the theft of a bottle of wine on August 30 at Centra on the South Link Road. Sergeant David Fleming outlined a separate public order incident on August 1 at 5pm in Cork city, where gardaí found Clement lying on the ground with his legs outstretched on the footpath; when officers went to help, he abused them, though Sergeant Fleming noted the aggression consisted only of “verbals.”
Eddie Burke Describes Clement as Family Black Sheep
Defending solicitor Eddie Burke explained that the theft of the bank card marked a new departure for Clement, though the card was neither tapped nor used for purchases and was recovered very quickly after being taken. Mr Burke described Clement as very much the black sheep of the family who originally hails from Maryborough, Douglas, and noted that his troubles have accumulated entirely within the last five years due to heavy drinking. Mr Burke added that Clement had more recently been hospitalized with stomach issues stemming from alcohol consumption. Regarding his time in custody following his September 25 arrest, Mr Burke stated that Clement looks 100 times better, causes no difficulty, is on Librium, and suffered from the DTs when initially admitted. Judge David Waters imposed the six-month sentence with the term backdated to September 25.
Did You Know? Angus Clement accumulated 42 previous convictions—including 13 for being drunk and a danger and 20 for theft—despite solicitors noting that his criminal offending did not begin until he was approximately 40 years old.
Judge David Waters Sentences Angus Clement to Prison
What total prison sentence did Judge David Waters hand down?
Judge David Waters sentenced Angus Clement to a total of six months in prison, backdated to his September 25 arrest date.
Where is Angus Clement originally from, and where was he living?
Clement is originally from Maryborough, Douglas, and was living at the Cork Simon Community prior to his sentencing.
What specific charges made up the recent court appearance?
The guilty pleas covered multiple counts of shoplifting at locations including Dalton’s Pharmacy, Lidl, Maxol, and Ryan’s SuperValu, alongside the theft of a bank card, the theft of a bottle of wine, and two public order incidents involving gardaí.
What measures might best address the cycle of alcohol-related offenses for individuals facing late-onset addiction in the justice system?